Hearing Loss
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Ear problems
Hearing loss worse on the right
Hearing issues
Hard of hearing in both ears but more on one side
Hearing impairment
Hearing loss worse on the left
Can't hear things properly
Hearing loss worse on one side than the other
Deafness
Deafness worse on one side
Have trouble hearing
Can't hear well on both sides but one side (left / right) is worse
About the Symptom
Hearing loss describes an individual having difficulty with hearing. It may affect one or both ears and may affect only certain frequencies (pitches). This may be slowly over months to years or acutely. Any acute changes in hearing not due to ear wax should consider seeking medical attention. Hearing loss can be further broken down to trouble getting noise from the outside world to the hearing nerve (conductive) or due to the hearing nerve itself (sensorineural) or due to a mix between the two (mixed).
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Hearing difficulty
Possible Causes
Generally, Hearing loss can be related to:
- Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is the difficulty in hearing noises and can be partial (hard of hearing) or complete (deafness). It may result from eardrum damage, damage to the hearing bones, inner ear or nerve damage, birth defects, trauma, disease, tumors, certain medications, exposure to loud noises, or aging.
- Cerumen Impaction
Also known as impacted earwax in the ear canal. In many cases, using cotton swabs to clean the ears may worsen the condition instead of improving it due to pushing the ear wax deeper into the ear canal.
- MELAS Syndrome
MELAS is a rare genetic disorder that starts in childhood and mainly affects the nervous system and muscles. The disorder is transmitted through the affected person's mother. Typical MELAS symptoms include weak muscles, sudden ("stroke-like") neurological symptoms such as paralysis of the right or left side of the body, blindness, or numbness, in addition to seizures and migraine-like headaches. People who have MELAS are also typically short in size, and have difficulty hearing.
- Meniere's Disease
- Ear Infection
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Hearing loss may be related to these serious diseases:
- Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the loss of hearing due to exposure to loud noises, either over an extended period or from a single exposure to an extremely loud noise. These can be common with occupational exposure to loud machines or music.
- Sudden Hearing Loss
- Perforated Tympanic Membrane
Tinnitus
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Are you experiencing difficulty hearing in one or both ears?
- Which of the following best describes how your difficulty hearing in one or both ears appeared?
- Is there a big difference in your hearing between your left and right ear?
- How is your difficulty hearing in one or both ears now?
- Does a family member have early-onset hearing problems?
Reviewed By:
Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).
Rohini R, MD (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Feb 6, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Michels TC, Duffy MT, Rogers DJ. Hearing Loss in Adults: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2019 Jul 15;100(2):98-108. PMID: 31305044.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31305044/Hearing Loss - Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072