Hearing Loss (Audiology)
Need hearing loss treatment for a child?
Get StartedListening to the evening news. Hearing your grandchild share a proud accomplishment. Engaging with your students in the classroom. Being able to hear puts you in touch with the environment around you, keeps you safe and allows you to interact directly with others. Hearing loss can impact your relationships with family, friends and coworkers. It can leave you feeling frustrated, isolated, withdrawn — and even depressed. And it’s common. Around 90% of adults in the United States between ages 50 and 80 say they don’t know what normal hearing sounds like.
If you or a loved one has trouble hearing or communicating, it’s time to call in the experts. And you’ll find them close to home at Cleveland Clinic. Our hearing loss specialists are ready to find out what’s causing your condition and help you take in the sounds around you a little more clearly.
Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Hearing Loss Treatment?
Specialized knowledge:
We have one of the largest audiology programs in the nation with more than 30 hearing loss specialists on our team. Meet our team.
Skilled collaborative providers:
Your personal care team will include an audiologist and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist (also called an otolaryngologist). If needed, your team will work closely with other providers to plan the best treatment for you.
Personalized care:
Our team creates care plans using a family-centered approach. We keep spouses, partners, children and caregivers in the loop so they can actively take part in your care.
Quality focus:
We use the latest treatments and evidence-based practices to give you the highest quality of care. Our team was one of the first to offer shared medical appointments. These provider-led, small-group sessions connect you with others with the same condition. You’ll share experiences, learn from each other and get emotional support.
Virtual visits:
If you need a quick touch base with your provider, why not schedule a virtual visit? You’ll get the same care and attention as in person — without leaving your home or office.
National recognition:
Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.
Hearing Loss Evaluations at Cleveland Clinic
Are you asking people to repeat themselves? Complaining that people mumble? Having trouble hearing in a crowded space? It might be time for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. Meeting with a hearing specialist called an audiologist can help you discover the type of hearing loss you have and how severe it is. Knowing this can help your healthcare provider create a treatment plan just for you.
Here’s what to expect when you meet with your audiologist:
Hearing test
To measure your hearing loss, your audiologist will do an audiogram. This hearing test does a few things. It lets your provider know the softest sounds you can hear. It also tells them how well you hear high-pitched sounds (like a whistle) and low-pitched ones (like a rumble of thunder). Your provider will check how hearing across these pitches affects how you communicate. The results will help them to choose the best treatment for you — and decide if you should have a hearing needs assessment.
Hearing needs assessment
Your audiologist will share what they discovered about your listening and communication needs. You’ll learn about the different kinds of hearing devices and the latest innovations — and what you can realistically expect from using a hearing device. Together, you, your family (if appropriate) and your audiologist will decide what’s best for you, while also considering any physical, financial or lifestyle limitations.
Meet Our Hearing Loss Team
Your audiologist is one provider on your team of hearing loss specialists. During hearing loss treatment, you may also see:
- ENT specialists (otolaryngologists).
- Nurse practitioners (NPs).
- Speech-language pathologists (SLPs).
- Social workers.
Our team works together to make sure your care is as personalized as possible — and covers all your needs.
Providers Who Treat Hearing Loss
Locations
Our office at Cleveland Clinic's main campus is located in the A Building - Crile Building: Audiology, Desk A71. Audiology services for hearing loss are also available at our regional locations throughout Northeast Ohio, Florida and London.Your Hearing Loss Treatment at Cleveland Clinic
After your hearing test and hearing needs assessment, your provider will recommend the right hearing device or treatment for you. If your hearing loss is mild, they might suggest:
- Listening devices: These devices connect directly to things like your TV, cell phone, doorbell or smoke alarm to amplify the sound.
- Medications: If an infection caused your hearing loss, antibiotics may help. Corticosteroids can ease inflammation of cochlear hair cells after exposure to loud noise.
- Hearing rehabilitation: This therapy helps you adjust to hearing loss and wearing hearing aids. Your therapist can also teach you how to use visual cues and read lips to make communicating easier.
- Ear tubes: Ear tubes placed in your ear drum during this surgery (tympanostomy) can treat repeated middle ear infections, which can cause hearing loss.
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are a popular and common treatment for mild to more severe hearing loss. You wear these devices on or inside your ear. They help make sounds louder and easier to hear. You’ll take several steps toward getting a hearing aid, including getting fitted for one.
You can buy over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. But, like “readers” for people with moderate vision loss, OTC hearing aids are an entry-level solution. We encourage you to see an audiologist for the best results.
Using devices like hearing aids and cochlear implants can positively affect your health. Recent research found using these devices can decrease long-term cognitive decline.
Implants
Sometimes, hearing aids or other devices and treatments aren’t enough to improve your hearing. So, your provider may recommend surgery to place an implant (permanent hearing device) inside your ear. There are two main types of implants:
- Cochlear implant: This device has two parts. We’ll place an implant in your inner ear (cochlea). You’ll also wear an external piece (sound processor) on or near your ear. The external piece sends incoming sounds to the implant. The implant stimulates your hearing nerve to send the sounds to your brain.
- Bone-anchored implant: Your surgeon will place this device in the bone behind your ear. The implant attaches to a sound processor that sends sound vibrations directly to your inner ear. It bypasses (goes around) your eardrum by using bone conduction.
Ongoing Care
Managing hearing loss is a journey. But it’s one where you can feel confident knowing we’ll help you every step of the way. We’re here to answer questions, adjust your hearing device and teach you how to care for it.
If you live in Ohio, all hearing devices have a 30-day right-to-return policy. So, you have time to see if your devices work well for you. You’ll have at least one follow-up visit with your audiologist during this time.
We also encourage you to schedule annual visits with our team. These appointments allow us to check your hearing status and see if your devices work properly. We’ll even show you how to fix any minor issues that might come up with them. You can feel confident knowing that your care team will continue to be there for you every step of the way.
Financial Assistance
We understand that improving your hearing is an investment. Medical insurance companies may provide coverage for your hearing devices. Please check with your insurance company to see if they provide coverage and if Cleveland Clinic is a provider for your plan.
Many insurance companies now work with a third-party administrator and require you to get hearing devices from an office associated with that administrator. You’re always welcome to use our services by opting out of using your insurance benefit if you want.
If you can’t afford hearing aids, here are some options that might help:
State
If you’re enrolled in an Ohio Medicaid program, you may be covered for costs related to hearing tests and cochlear implants, but not hearing aids. Each Medicaid program has its own rules. You’ll want to check if your program is registered with your insurance carrier as an authorized service provider. The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission/Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation may also be able to help.
Federal
Contact your local Veterans Administration hospital or office for more information.
Corporate
Your health insurance provider, union or employer may provide financial assistance. You can also use a flexible spending account to buy hearing aids pre-tax. The Americans with Disabilities Act may also help you get financial assistance if you need a hearing aid for your job.
Charities
Many social service organizations — such as Hear Now, local Kiwanis Club, Lions Club International, Rotary Club, Sertoma Club and Quota International — offer financial help for hearing testing and devices. Contact their local chapters for more information.
Taking the Next Step
You don’t have to live with hearing loss. Hearing is an important part of your overall health. And it’s often one of the easiest conditions to improve. If you’re having trouble hearing clearly or communicating with the people in your life, it’s time to get help. Cleveland Clinic specialists expertly diagnose and treat all types of hearing loss. And they can refer you to another provider if an underlying health issue is causing you to lose your hearing.
Appointments
Getting an appointment with Cleveland Clinic’s hearing loss team is easy. We’re here to help you get the care you need.
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