Treatment Options For Hearing Loss

What Are The Treatment Options For The Different Hearing Losses?

Each individual hearing loss has specific treatment options depending on the type of hearing loss. Some of the options for treatment of a particular hearing loss vary and it is up to the person with the problem to weigh up the options make the final decison. Let's take a look.

Treatment options for sensorineural hearing loss

There really is only two options for most sensorineural hearing loss:

• Hearing Aids
• Cochlear Implants

In the case of a sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), immediate treatment with steroids may ensure a full recovery. SSHL is a rare enough condition, however, it is becoming more commonplace for reasons we don't quite understand. If you ever suffer from a sudden hearing loss in one ear, treat it as a medical emergency until you find out different.

Treatment options for conductive hearing loss

Some conductive hearing losses are temporary, while others are of a permanent nature. Temporary conductive problems often pass with time. However, permanent problems will need treatment. There are many treatment options for conductive hearing loss and they vary according to the underlying problem, so let's deal with them one by one.

• Otosclerosis, bony growth in the middle ear, treatments are surgery which can be very effective but runs some risks or hearing aids. Otosclerosis can be treated with traditional hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids or bone anchored hearing aids
• Otitis Media, a middle ear infection, in general otitis media is treated with antibiotics if the middle ear becomes infected. If the problem is chronic, well then grommets can fitted on the ear drum to relieve the fluid build up and pressure. If otitis media has been chronic for many years and has done permanent damage to the middle ear cavity, well then traditional hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids or bone anchored hearing aids are treatment options.
• Cholesteatoma, a non cancerous skin growth that normally occurs in the top portion of the middle ear canal, cholesteatomas are dangerous and always need surgery to remove them. Unfortunately, cholesteatomas often do permanent damage to the middle ear and therefore treatment with tradiotional hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids or bone anchored hearing aids is often needed after the surgery.
• Perforated ear drum, a damaged or burst ear drum, a perforated ear drum can be re-built during surgery. The procedure is often effective. Depending on the level of hearing loss caused by a perforated ear drum, hearing aids can be a treatment option.

Treatment options for mixed hearing loss

In general, all mixed hearing loss can be treated with differing types of hearing technology. As we have said elsewhere, the conductive element may have a medical treatment option that is worth thinking about depending on what is the underlying cause. However, even if the conductive element is treated, the sensorineural element will still have to be treated with hearing aids.