Skip to main content

Single-Sided Deafness Springville, UT

Expert Care to Help Your Hearing Loss

Single-sided deafness (SSD), also called unilateral hearing loss, is a condition in which you experience hearing loss in one ear and have normal hearing in the other ear. While the vast majority of patients with a hearing impairment suffer from bilateral (two-sided) hearing loss, SSD is diagnosed in approximately 60,000 people in the United States each year. Unfortunately, there is no cure, and treatment can be a challenge as traditional amplification devices prove to be less effective. However, alternative options for managing single-sided deafness are available from our hearing experts in the Springville, UT, area.

Single-Sided Deafness Causes

SSD can be caused by several factors including acoustic neuroma, a benign, slow-growing tumor that can push against the auditory nerve and affect your ability to hear properly in one ear.

Sudden deafness often occurring after a viral infection is another condition associated with SSD. Patients may fall victim to sudden deafness as a result of an inflammation in the cochlea that causes permanent damage to the hair cells responsible for hearing.

Additional causes of SSD include trauma to the head, genetic disorders, Meniere’s disease, labyrinthitis, microtia, mastoiditis, and even common childhood diseases such as measles and mumps.

People experiencing SSD find understanding speech in the presence of background noise challenging and have difficulty localizing sound (recognizing the location or origin of a sound source). Sound localization depends on subtle hearing cues from two ears; removing one from the equation confuses the brain. Other symptoms can include anxiety, stress, social isolation, dizziness, difficulty paying attention, and speaking loudly.

Treatments for SSD

While there is no cure for single-sided deafness, coping mechanisms do exist. Traditional hearing aids don’t offer much help to those suffering from SSD, but Contralateral Routing of Signal (CROS) hearing aids can improve hearing and localization.

These hearing aids use a microphone that is placed in the vicinity of the impaired ear and an amplifier near the normal ear. The microphone picks up sounds and transmits them to your ear with normal hearing. A similar device known as BICROS is suitable for those with some degree of hearing loss in one ear and total deafness in the other.

Another option is a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA), which is a surgically implanted device that uses direct bone conduction to transmit sounds from your affected ear to your normal ear. Vibrations in the bones of the ear canal and middle ear stimulate the hair cells of the cochlea, enhancing your ability to hear.

Learn More About Treatment for SSD From Our Hearing Experts in the Springville, UT, Area

To experience our 5-star-rated hearing care, schedule your Complimentary New Patient Consultation today by calling (801) 763-0724 to reach our American Fork office or our Spanish Fork office. You may also click here for our convenient online form. Your appointment includes the following:

  • Discuss Your Goals
  • Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation
  • Custom Treatment Plan
  • Flexible Financing Discussion

During your appointment, we will take the time to answer all your questions about our advanced treatments and technology, our flexible payment options, and anything else you may want to know about us!

Your 5‐Star Rated & Audiologist In American & Spanish Fork, UT
It's easy to see why they have been #1 in the state so many years! —Stuart D.
Read Reviews
The reviews listed are from actual patients of Timpanogos Hearing & balance. Individual results may vary. Reviews are not claimed to represent results for everyone.
What To Expect On Your First Visit Let’s Have A No‐Pressure Conversation To Get You The Help You Deserve.
  • Discuss Your Goals
  • Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation
  • Custom Treatment Plan
  • Flexible Financing Discussion
  • Bonus: Copy of Dr. Layne Garrett and Dr. Keith Darrow's Book
Our Locations
343 S 500 E American Fork, UT 84003 Get Directions (801) 763-0724 Monday - Thursday: 8am - 6pm Friday: 9am - 3pm
642 Kirby Ln, Suite 102 Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Get Directions (801) 763-0724 Monday - Thursday: 8am - 5pm Friday: 8am - 12pm
We Service All The Following Towns & Their Surrounding Areas