Hearing loss
Hearing specialists at Duke offer a range of options to diagnose and treat all degrees of hearing loss, from mild to severe. Our research has contributed to major advances in treatments to improve hearing, and result in superior care and outcomes for our patients.
Comprehensive care for hearing disorders and hearing loss
Our experts specialize in treating sensorineural hearing loss, including sudden hearing loss, and hearing loss from any cause, including aging (presbycusis), tinnitus, chronic ear infections, perforated eardrum, cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, otosclerosis, and Ménière's disease. We also treat acoustic neuroma and other tumors, head or ear injuries, and disorders that impair hearing.
Our specialists provide personalized care designed to improve your hearing, whether you have difficulty understanding conversations, poor hearing in noisy places, fullness or ringing in your ears, oversensitivity to certain sounds, or other symptoms of hearing loss. We use sophisticated testing to pinpoint the cause of your hearing loss, and choose from a wide variety of therapies to help you hear and communicate well.
Choose Duke to treat your hearing loss because we offer:
- Hearing aid dispensary. Our audiologists evaluate and dispense sophisticated hearing aids and assistive listening devices, such as digital hearing aids and FM listening systems. We offer instruction and information about personal amplifiers, telephone amplifiers, tinnitus maskers, and alarm/warning devices.
- Care for tinnitus. We provide expert tinnitus evaluation and treatment options. If your hearing loss includes tinnitus, you will undergo a thorough evaluation with one of our licensed audiologists. Our treatment recommendations will be based on your unique needs.
- Team of specialists. Depending on your needs, your medical team may include otolaryngologists (ear-nose-throat doctors or ENT doctors), otologists/neurotologists (doctors specializing in diagnosis and treatment of complex ear disease and skull base tumors), audiologists and vestibular specialists.
- Access to clinical trials. If you have severe hearing loss, you may be eligible to participate in our clinical trials of hearing aids and a hybrid cochlear implant-hearing aid, which may give you access to therapies before they are widely available.
- Evaluation and treatment for central auditory processing disorder. If your child (six years of age or older) is unable to understand and/or process speech or shows signs of CAPD, our audiologists and speech pathologists conduct a thorough interview, evaluation and assessment to determine your child's strengths and weaknesses at home and at school. We will explain the results, make recommendations, and work with you to ensure your child gets the help he or she needs.
- PATIENT STORYIt Takes a Team to Hear Again After Cochlear Implant
"The entire Duke cochlear implant team has been there for me, wanting me to succeed." - PATIENT STORYLiving a normal life with tinnitus
“I still have tinnitus, and it can become annoying at times. But I have a totally normal life now. That’s the miracle of how Duke saved my life.”
HEARING LOSS
Treatments
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Our hearing aid program has a wide selection of the most advanced hearing aid technology, including digital hearing aids with multiple memories, noise reduction, directional microphones, feedback management systems, and speech enhancement. Wireless or Bluetooth capabilities let you link your hearing aids to your cellular phone, television, or MP3 player. We also offer FM listening systems and information on personal amplifiers, telephone amplifiers and alarm or warning devices.
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Chronic or recurrent ear infections may be treated with antibiotics or allergy medications to help prevent long-term or permanent hearing loss.
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If you have one-sided deafness or hearing impairment in both ears due to middle-ear problems (such as chronic ear infections), this surgical implanted high-fidelity sound transmitter may be an effective solution. In recent clinical trials, superior sound and speech clarity was achieved with the BAHA implant, compared to a hearing aid.
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In many cases, children and adults with chronic ear infections or build up of fluid behind the eardrum can be most effectively treated with ear tubes. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia through tiny incisions in the eardrums. Most people return to normal activities the same day, with only minor discomfort. The tiny tubes naturally fall out on their own within nine to 12 months and most patients do not need replacement tubes.
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If you are suffering from sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss (damage to the hearing nerve from diseases or other causes), steroids may provide significant improvement by relieving the inflammation that frequently triggers the hearing loss. The medication is usually given orally, but may be injected into the middle ear during an office visit.
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Our specialists are highly skilled at surgical treatment of ear disorders or injuries that affect hearing, including perforated eardrum, cholesteatoma (benign skin growths) and otosclerosis (bony growths).
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If you have severe to profound hearing loss that cannot be treated with hearing aids, our specialists in cochlear implant surgery provide the most advanced cochlear implant care available. We performed some of the first cochlear implant surgeries in the U.S., and our research has contributed to major advances that have resulted in superior care and excellent outcomes. Cochlear implant surgery can be performed in one or both ears, but is only available if you have severe hearing loss in both ears.
HEARING LOSS
Tests
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A comprehensive array of tests to evaluate middle-ear function and check your ability to hear low and high-frequency sounds, listen and understand speech. We use specialized techniques and tests to measure hearing in young children, including newborns.
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CT or MRI scans are used to visualize the inner and middle ear structures and check for abnormalities that may be causing your hearing impairment. Findings from imaging studies help us diagnose the cause of your hearing loss and determine the most effective treatment for you.
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Determines the presence or absence of hearing loss and also the type and severity of hearing loss. This test involves placing earphones on both ears and pressing a button or raising your hand when you hear a sound
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Measures how softly words can be heard and how clearly words are understood. The results of word understanding are measured by a percentage score.
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A series of tests that assess the function of the eardrum and middle ear structures. Immittance tests involve placing a plastic tip in the ear canal which measures changes in air pressure. These non-invasive tests can be completed in 10 minutes.
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Measures the brain stem’s response to sounds that are presented to the ears. Assesses hearing when behavioral testing cannot be performed due to age, cooperation, or developmental level. During the non invasive procedure, your audiologist will place electrodes on your forehead and ears. A sound will then be presented to both ears through earphones. The response generated by the auditory neural pathway is recorded and analyzed by the audiologist. May require general anesthesia or sedation when performed on children.
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Measures hair cell function of the inner ear to estimate hearing sensitivity. An emission is a sound generated within the normal cochlea in response to stimulation. During this test, a small plug is inserted in your ear and a series of tones or clicks are presented. The test takes place in a quiet environment and you must remain still and quiet throughout testing.
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Uses electrophysiologic measures to monitor the integrity of neural structures such as the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves during surgery. This helps your surgeon avoid or reduce the risk of surgical complications.