DEAFNESS

Common symptoms include:

• Muffled hearing and a feeling that your ear is plugged.
• Difficulty in understanding what people are saying, especially when other people are talking or when there is background noise.
• Listening to the TV or radio at a higher volume than in the past.

Other symptoms may include:

• Tinnitus – ringing, roaring, hissing, or buzzing in the ear.
• Vertigo – sensation that you or your environment is spinning.
• Ear pain, itching or irritation of the ear, or fluid leaking from the ear.

DIAGNOSIS

Physician may do/request:

• History & Physical Exam
  • Ask about your symptoms and past health
  • Look in your ears with a lighted device called an otoscope
• Hearing tests
  • Rinne & Weber Tuning fork tests – helps your doctor know which kind of hearing loss you have

RECOMMENDED MEDICATIONS

• Hearing devices
  • Hearing aids
  • Cochlear Implants
• Adapting to decreased hearing, such as paying attention to people’s gestures, facial expressions, posture, and tone of voice.
• Remove earwax or take medicine for an infection to aid in restoration of hearing