Common conditions treated by the Penn Audiology team include:
Hearing loss
caused by:
- Age-related hearing loss
- Congenital hearing loss
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Ototoxicity (caused by drugs or chemicals)
Symptoms of Audiologic Conditions
Hearing loss can cause inability to hear sound, possible ringing in the ears, sensitivity to sound and can lead a person to isolate themselves because of the inability to communicate. This inability to communicate can also cause irritability, social anxiety and depression.
The most common symptoms of audiologic conditions include:
- The inability to hear certain sounds or discriminate speech
- Certain sounds seem too loud
- Difficulty following conversations when two or more people are talking
- Trouble hearing in noisy areas
- Difficulty differentiating between high-pitched sounds (such as “s” or “th”)
- More difficulty hearing women’s voices versus men’s
- Hearing voices as mumbled or slurred
- Ringing in the ears
- Sensitivity to sound
- Hissing, whistling or buzzing in the ears
- Thumping, whooshing or throbbing in the ears (pulsatile tinnitus)
Causes of Audiology Conditions
The many causes of audiology conditions include:
- Malformation of the outer, middle, or inner ear
- Genetic conditions (more than 400 are known)
- Damage to the very small bones (ossicles) in the middle ear
- Fluid remaining in the ear after an infection
- Scar on the eardrum from repeated infections
- An infection passed from a mother to her baby in the womb (such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, or herpes)
- Birth defects
- Childhood infections, such as meningitis, mumps, scarlet fever, and measles
- Meniere’s Disease (a disorder of the inner ear)
- A foreign object lodged in the ear canal
- A hole in the eardrum
- Benign tumors (acoustic neuroma/ vestibular schwannoma)
- Tumors
- Otosclerosis (a malfunction of the bones of the middle and inner ear)
- Head trauma
- Aging
- Regular exposure to loud noises (from work or recreation)
- Trauma from explosions, fireworks, gunfire, rock concerts, and earphones
- Perforated ear drum
- Pressure differences between the inside and outside of the eardrum, often from scuba diving or flying
- Skull fractures (can damage the structures or nerves of the ear)
- Buildup of wax in the ear canal
- Use of certain medicines
Risks and Preventions for Audiologic Conditions
Preventing hearing loss may not always be possible, but here are a few ways you can avoid damaging your hearing:
- Reduce your exposure to loud environments like clubs, concerts, or any place with intense noise.
- When you’re in a loud environment, wear earplugs or sound-cancelling earphones.
- Pay close attention to any changes in your hearing and make an appointment to see a specialist if you notice any issues with communication.