Some babies are born with unilateral hearing loss (single-sided deafness) which is the inability to hear in one ear. Older children and adults can also lose hearing in one ear. Hearing aids and other treatments can help people with unilateral hearing loss hear better.
A unilateral hearing loss occurs when hearing in one ear is within normal limits, while hearing in the other ear has some degree of reduction in hearing. Unilateral hearing loss can range from mild to profound in severity. You can have unilateral hearing loss from birth, or hearing loss can develop later in life, suddenly or gradually.
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Single-sided deafness (SSD) is a type of unilateral hearing loss where the reduction in hearing is so severe that your ear is considered to be non-functional or deaf. That is, a person has no or limited access to sound in that ear and may or may not benefit from hearing aid on that ear.
An estimated 60,000 Americans have unilateral hearing loss. The condition affects all genders and ages.
Approximately 1 child in 1,000 is born with unilateral hearing loss, and approximately 7% of adults in the U.S. have unilateral hearing loss.
Signs and symptoms of single-sided deafness may include:
If you suspect you have hearing loss, schedule a hearing test with an audiologist. If you suspect you have a sudden hearing loss, schedule an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician immediately, as this may need to be treated right away for best results.
If you have been diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss, talk to your audiologist about non-medical management options such as amplification and communication strategies and/or an ENT physician to discuss medical or surgical intervention such as implantable devices. Managing the hearing loss earlier rather than later often yields better results, so it's important to seek treatment options as soon as your hearing loss is identified.
It's beneficial to hear with two ears for several reasons. Our brain “hears” best when it receives input from both ears. For example, input from both ears allows our brain to separate speech from background noise to hear better in noisy places, such as restaurants, classrooms and social gatherings.
Sound localization is only possible when there is sound input from both ears. For safety reasons, this is especially important when you need to identify a sound source quickly. In addition, our brain actually amplifies the intensity of the sound when it receives input from both ears so that we can hear softer sounds with two ears compared to only one ear.
Hearing loss treatments often depend on what causes your hearing loss and how severe it is.
Management options for unilateral hearing loss or single-sided deafness include:
In addition to devices, communication strategies and environmental modifications can help people with hearing loss communicate more effectively.
Exposure to loud noises is one of the most preventable causes of hearing loss. To lower your family’s risk of noise-induced hearing loss:
Some people with unilateral hearing loss regain part or all of their hearing with treatment. But for many people, hearing loss is permanent. New hearing-assist devices are helping more people hear better.
You should call your healthcare provider if you develop hearing loss or experience:
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Many people have some degree of hearing loss in one or both ears. Unilateral hearing loss can affect your ability to take part in conversations and activities. Infants born with unilateral hearing loss or single-sided deafness can get help from early speech and language therapies. Hearing specialists can determine the best treatments to help you hear better. Hearing assist devices may help.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/09/2021.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy