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Hearing Loss
- Overview
-
Health Tools
- FAQs
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- When to Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Living With Hearing Loss
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Call
- Hearing loss occurs with an injury to the head or ear.
- Hearing loss occurs suddenly with other symptoms
such as:
- Facial droop.
- Numbness or paralysis on all or one side of the face or body.
- Eye or vision problems, including blurred or double vision or only being able to see out of one eye.
- Slurred speech, not being able to speak, or difficulty understanding speech.
- Difficulty standing or walking (ataxia).
- Severe nausea or vomiting.
Call a doctor immediately if you:
- Develop sudden, severe hearing loss.
Call your doctor if you:
- Have hearing loss that you think may be caused by earwax.
- Have hearing loss after taking medicine.
- Have hearing loss after having cold or flu symptoms.
- Have hearing loss after traveling on an airplane.
- Feel your hearing is gradually getting worse.
- Wonder if you need a hearing aid.
- Think your baby or child may not be hearing well.
Watchful waiting
Watchful waiting is when you and your doctor watch symptoms to see if the health problem improves on its own. Although hearing loss is not usually dangerous, it can affect your personal safety. It can also reduce how much you can do in the workplace and at home and limit you socially. It is important that you talk to your doctor about hearing loss.
Who to see
Hearing loss can be diagnosed by:
If your doctor suspects or diagnoses hearing loss, he or she may have you see an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist) or an audiologist.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 13, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Steven T. Kmucha, MD - Otolaryngology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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