About Hearing
Single-Sided Deafness
When one ear hears well and the other does not, everyday listening can become tiring. Learn what single-sided deafness is, how it affects daily life and the options that can help you hear from both sides again.
What is single-sided deafness?
Single-sided deafness (SSD) means hearing loss in one ear while the other ear hears normally. MED-EL describes it as surprisingly common. Hearing loss in one ear is also called unilateral hearing loss, and ASHA notes that it can range from mild to severe.
When one ear has profound hearing loss and the better ear has mild to moderately severe hearing loss, this is called asymmetric hearing loss. MED-EL notes that its cochlear implants can also be effective in this case.
Sudden hearing loss in one ear?
Sudden hearing loss needs urgent medical attention. Please see an ENT doctor straight away.
Common causes
- Infection
- Ménière’s disease
- Sudden hearing loss with no known cause
- Genetic factors
- Exposure to loud sounds
- Head injury
Causes named by MED-EL and ASHA.
Why two ears matter
Many people with SSD can follow a conversation in a quiet room, so family and colleagues may think the problem is small. MED-EL notes that it can still have a significant impact on work, social life and quality of life.
Finding where sounds come from
Your brain compares the signals from both ears to place sounds. With one ear, it is hard to tell where a voice or a car horn is coming from.
Hearing in noise
Two ears help the brain focus on the voice you want to hear and filter out background noise. With one ear, restaurants and family gatherings become hard work.
Voices on the deaf side
Your head blocks some of the sound coming from the deaf side, so voices on that side reach your hearing ear softer and less clear.
Listening fatigue
Listening with one ear takes much more effort. MED-EL notes that many people with SSD find everyday life exhausting.
Options for single-sided deafness
The right option depends on your hearing in each ear, your daily needs and your preferences. Your audiologist and ENT surgeon will help you decide.
No surgery
A small microphone on the deaf side sends sound to a hearing aid on the hearing ear, so you do not miss voices on your weaker side. BiCROS is for people who also have some hearing loss in the better ear (Starkey). MED-EL notes that CROS still sends all sound to one ear, so it does not restore hearing with both ears.
No surgery
An adhesive adapter sticks behind the ear and the audio processor clicks onto it. For SSD, it sends sound from the deaf side through the bone to the hearing ear. Because there is no surgery, you can try it with your audiologist first (MED-EL).
Implant
An active bone conduction implant that sits fully under the skin. For SSD, it picks up sound on the deaf side and sends it through the skull bone to the inner ear on the other side. Surgery usually takes about one hour (MED-EL).
Implant
A cochlear implant in the deaf ear sends signals along the natural hearing pathway, where they combine with the signals from the hearing ear. This can restore hearing with both ears. MED-EL lists better speech understanding in noise, easier sound localisation and less listening fatigue.
| Option | Surgery | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| CROS / BiCROS hearing aids | No | A microphone on the deaf side sends sound to a hearing aid on the hearing ear |
| ADHEAR | No, it sticks on behind the ear | Sends sound through the bone to the hearing ear |
| BONEBRIDGE | Yes, usually about one hour | An implant under the skin sends sound through the skull bone to the hearing ear |
| Cochlear implant | Yes, about one to two hours | Stimulates the hearing nerve of the deaf ear, so both ears can work together again |
Your journey with us
Step 1
Hearing assessment
We test hearing and speech understanding in each ear and talk about the situations you find hardest.
Step 2
Try non-surgical options
CROS hearing aids or ADHEAR can be tried first. MED-EL notes that some people try a CROS system before an implant is considered.
Step 3
Meet the ENT surgeon
If an implant may help, an ENT surgeon checks whether you meet the candidacy guidelines for SSD.
Step 4
Activation and practice
A cochlear implant is usually switched on 2 to 4 weeks after surgery, and BONEBRIDGE 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, followed by listening practice (MED-EL).
Children with hearing loss in one ear
ASHA notes that children with hearing loss in one ear are at higher risk of difficulties with school, speech and social skills than other children, often because the hearing loss goes unnoticed. Having one good ear may not be enough for typical development.
If your child often turns one ear towards sounds or struggles in a noisy classroom, book a hearing test. MED-EL describes ADHEAR as suitable for all ages.
Questions about single-sided deafness
MED-EL describes hearing loss in one ear as surprisingly common. Many people live with it for years because they can still follow conversations in quiet places.
Hearing aids make sound louder, so they help when an ear still has usable hearing. For a deaf ear, a CROS hearing aid sends sound from that side to your hearing ear. Bone conduction devices and cochlear implants are other options.
Yes. CROS hearing aids and ADHEAR need no surgery, so you can try them with your audiologist first (MED-EL).
It can. Unlike CROS, a cochlear implant can restore hearing with both ears (MED-EL). Your audiologist and ENT surgeon will check whether you meet the candidacy guidelines.
Please do not wait. ASHA notes that children with hearing loss in one ear can have more difficulty with speech, learning and social skills. A hearing test is the first step.
Treat it as urgent and see an ENT doctor straight away.
Sources: MED-EL: Single-sided deafness · MED-EL: BONEBRIDGE · MED-EL: ADHEAR · Starkey: Single-sided hearing loss · ASHA: Types of hearing loss
This page is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please see an ENT doctor or audiologist for advice about your own hearing.
Hearing better from both sides starts here
Book a hearing assessment at Harmony in Amman. We will test each ear and explain every option clearly.