Hearing Loss

Do you find it hard to hear in conversations or need the TV volume up loud? If so, you could benefit from a hearing loss evaluation at Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center: Philip T. Ho, MD, FACS, in Los Gatos, California. Dr. Ho is a board-certified otolaryngologist who can expertly determine the cause of your hearing loss and prescribe effective treatments. Improve your hearing by calling Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center or using the online scheduling tool to request an appointment today.

What symptoms does hearing loss cause?

Common hearing loss symptoms include:

• Speech sounding muffled
• Problems following conversations
• Frequently needing to ask what someone’s said
• Increasing the TV, radio, or phone volume
• Avoiding conversations

Hearing loss often happens gradually, so people tend not to realize how much they struggle to hear until the problem becomes severe.

Many causes of hearing loss are treatable, especially early on. For those that aren’t, hearing aids can significantly improve your hearing.

What kind of hearing loss might affect me?

Hearing loss takes several forms, including:

Sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss affects the inner ear, auditory nerve, or both, reducing the sound your inner ear receives. It can be caused by viral infections or ototoxicity (ear damage resulting from medication). However, the most common causes are excessive noise exposure and aging.

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss affects your outer or middle ear. Typical causes include impacted ear wax, middle ear infection, fluid build-up, and eardrum perforation. Some people with conductive hearing loss have atresia, meaning they’re missing the ear canal and eardrum.

Mixed hearing loss means you have both inner ear and middle or outer ear problems.

How is hearing loss diagnosed?

Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center diagnoses hearing loss with a comprehensive evaluation, performing a physical exam, and using hearing tests and scans.

If you have any symptoms besides hearing loss, tell Dr. Ho to help him make an accurate diagnosis. Common problems include:

• Dizziness
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Ear infections
• Ear and facial pain
• Wax build-up in the ear canal

Treatment varies depending on what’s causing your hearing loss.

What hearing loss treatments are available?

Dr. Ho can perform thorough ear cleanings with ear care protocols to remove blocked wax. Or he might need to put tiny tubes in your ears to drain away excess fluid. Another option is corticosteroid treatment to reduce inflammation in the ears.

For incurable sensorineural hearing loss, there’s a wide selection of hearing aid styles available, including:

• Completely-in-canal (CIC)
• In-the-canal (ITC)
• In-the-ear (ITE)
• Behind-the-ear (BTE)
• Open-fit BTE styles

Dr. Ho works closely with leading academic centers to ensure patients receive complete care and benefit from the latest innovations in hearing loss treatment.

Call Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center to benefit from Dr. Ho’s expertise in hearing loss, or book an appointment online today.