Ear

Conditions

Balance and the Inner Ear

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Your sense of balance is something you probably don't think about very often. That's because, for most of us, it just works. Balance keeps us stable. It allows us to stand up and walk around without falling over. But how do we do that? Let's learn about this complex system.
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Cochlear Implant

This electronic device gives a person who is deaf or very hard of hearing a sense of sound. It's not the same as a hearing aid, which makes sounds louder for the ear to process. A cochlear implant changes sound into electrical signals and sends these signals directly to the auditory nerve. Let's trace the path of sound through a cochlear implant to see how it works.
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Hearing Loss (Gradual)

This is a loss over time of your ability to hear clearly. For most people, hearing loss is a natural part of growing older. It can cause problems with your ability to communicate with others. It can be frustrating for you and for those around you.
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Caring for Your Hearing

We all need to be aware of the danger of noise-induced hearing loss. That's hearing loss that's caused by loud noise. It tends to happen over time. When you finally notice it, your hearing is permanently damaged. Let's learn more about this type of hearing loss, and how you can prevent it.
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Hearing Loss (Sudden)

This is a form of hearing loss that can develop quickly and spontaneously. You may wake up and find that you have lost hearing in one ear, and you may not know why. This can be a frightening and frustrating experience.
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Inflammation of the Middle Ear

This is an irritation of your middle ear. That's the part of your ear just behind your eardrum. In a healthy ear, fluid drains out of the middle ear through a passage called the "Eustachian tube." But when the middle ear is inflamed, fluid can't drain well.
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Living With Hearing Loss

If you've lost some of your hearing, you know how frustrating it can be. You may miss parts of what people are saying. And people may leave you out of conversations altogether. But there are some simple things you can do to make communication easier.
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Ruptured Eardrum (Perforated Eardrum)

This is a tear or a hole in your eardrum. The eardrum is a thin membrane at the back of your ear canal. Normally it seals the ear canal, keeping germs and debris from reaching the deeper parts of your ear. The eardrum helps you hear by transmitting sound waves to the structures behind it. A ruptured eardrum can cause problems.
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Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)

This is an inflammation, irritation or infection of your ear. It can affect the ear canal and the outer part of your ear. Swimmer's ear is most common in teens and young adults. It can be a short-term problem, or something that keeps coming back.
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Tinnitus

If you hear an annoying buzzing or ringing sound in one or both ears, you have tinnitus. It can bother you a lot. Tinnitus is a problem with your auditory system. That's the system that lets you hear. The problem may be in the ear. It may be in the nerve that connects your ear to your brain. Or, it may be in the part of your brain that makes sense of sound signals. Usually, tinnitus is not a sign that you have a serious issue.
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Vertigo

If you feel like you're spinning for no reason, you have vertigo. This dizziness can be a nuisance, but it's usually not a sign of anything serious. It can interrupt your day. And it can put you at risk for falling.
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Hearing Aids and Quality of Life

We tend to think of hearing loss as mainly a "hearing" problem. But it also affects your social life, often in ways you may not even realize. As communication becomes harder for you, you may get left out of conversations. You may get left out of groups. Gradually, you become more and more isolated. This isn't good for your brain or your emotional health. But hearing aids can change that. Let's look at some of the benefits.
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Treatment

Ear Tube Surgery

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This surgery puts a soft tube in the eardrum of one or both ears. We do this to help drain fluid that is trapped behind the eardrum. We may recommend ear tubes if your child has a lot of ear infections.
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Hearing Aids

If you don't hear as well as you once did, hearing aids may help. They make sounds louder so you hear more clearly. They can't completely fix your hearing. But they can make your hearing much better.
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Tests

Caring for Your Hearing Aids

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Taking care of your hearing aids helps you get the most out of them. If you don't, your hearing aids can develop serious problems. Here's what you need to know to keep your hearing aids working well.
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The Benefit of Wearing Two Hearing Aids

Even when you have hearing loss in both ears, your ears don't always lose their ability at exactly the same rate. You may feel like you have a "good" ear and a "bad" ear. You may be tempted to get just one hearing aid for the "bad" ear. But for many people, this isn't the best plan. Because while wearing only one hearing aid may improve your hearing, wearing two gives you a much better experience. Let's take a moment to learn why.
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