Hearing Loss Treatment in Sydney

Hearing loss is a partial or complete reduction in the ability to hear sound in one or both ears. It can result from problems in the outer, middle or inner ear, or along the auditory nerve pathway to the brain. Approximately one in six Australians experience some degree of hearing loss, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country.

Types of Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss

Occurs when sound cannot pass efficiently through the outer ear canal, eardrum or middle ear bones. Causes include ear wax impaction, middle ear fluid (glue ear), ear infections, perforated eardrum, otosclerosis and cholesteatoma. Conductive hearing loss is often treatable with medical or surgical intervention.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Results from damage to the delicate hair cells in the cochlea (inner ear) or the auditory nerve. Common causes include ageing (presbycusis), noise exposure, genetic factors, viral infections, Meniere's disease and ototoxic medications. Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent but can be effectively managed with hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Mixed Hearing Loss

A combination of conductive and sensorineural components, where both the sound transmission mechanism and the inner ear or nerve are affected. Treatment addresses both components.

Symptoms

Hearing loss often develops gradually, and many people are unaware of its progression. Warning signs include:

• Difficulty following conversations, especially in background noise
• Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
• Needing to turn up the volume on the television, radio or phone
• Difficulty hearing on the telephone
• Missing doorbells, alarms or other environmental sounds
• Ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Feeling that people are mumbling
• Withdrawing from social situations due to communication difficulty

Sudden hearing loss, a rapid decline in hearing over hours to days, usually in one ear, is a medical emergency. If you experience sudden hearing loss, seek urgent ENT assessment within 48 to 72 hours, as early treatment with corticosteroids significantly improves outcomes.

Diagnosis

At Central Sydney ENT, hearing loss is assessed through a combination of:

Otoscopy: Visual examination of the ear canal and eardrum to identify wax, infections, perforations or middle ear abnormalities.

Audiometry (hearing test): A comprehensive audiogram measures hearing across different frequencies and volumes, identifying the type, degree and pattern of hearing loss. This is the gold standard diagnostic test.

Tympanometry: Measures the movement of the eardrum and middle ear pressure, helping diagnose conditions such as glue ear, eustachian tube dysfunction and ossicular chain problems.

Imaging: CT or MRI scanning may be required for specific conditions such as cholesteatoma, acoustic neuroma, or when surgical planning is needed.

Our specialist otologist Dr Philip Yeung leads complex ear and hearing assessments at Central Sydney ENT.

Treatment Options

Medical Management

Treatment of underlying conditions such as ear infections, wax removal, or corticosteroid therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Hearing Aids

Modern hearing aids are small, discreet and highly effective for most types of sensorineural hearing loss. Our audiology team can guide you through hearing aid selection, fitting and ongoing adjustment.

Ear Surgery

Surgical options for conductive hearing loss include:

• Myringotomy and grommets: draining middle ear fluid, especially in children with glue ear
• Tympanoplasty: repairing a perforated eardrum
• Ossiculoplasty: reconstructing the middle ear bones
• Stapedectomy: replacing the fixed stapes bone in otosclerosis
• Mastoidectomy: removing disease from the mastoid bone, often for cholesteatoma

Cochlear Implants

For severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss where hearing aids are no longer effective, cochlear implantation provides direct electrical stimulation to the auditory nerve, restoring access to sound and speech understanding.

When to See an ENT Specialist

• Urgently: sudden hearing loss in one or both ears (seek assessment within 48 hours)
• Hearing loss in one ear only (asymmetric hearing loss requires investigation)
• Hearing loss associated with ear discharge, pain or dizziness
• Progressive hearing loss that is worsening over time
• Hearing loss that is not adequately managed with hearing aids
• Children failing hearing screening tests

Related Conditions

• Tinnitus: frequently accompanies hearing loss
• Otosclerosis: a treatable cause of progressive conductive hearing loss
• Cholesteatoma: can erode middle ear bones and cause hearing loss
• Glue Ear: the most common cause of hearing loss in children
• Ear Infections: can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss