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Bilateral hearing loss

Causes Symptoms Treatment Types Book FREE* hearing check
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What is bilateral hearing loss?

Hearing loss that affects both ears is referred to as bilateral hearing loss. While it is common for bilateral hearing loss to occur gradually over time, in some (rare) cases, it can occur suddenly.

Since the experience of bilateral hearing loss can vary from one person to another, it is important to have your hearing loss evaluated by a hearing care expert. Additionally, there are other hearing health conditions that might have overlapping symptoms with bilateral hearing loss, so seeking advice from an expert will ensure that you are treated for your specific hearing loss needs.

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What causes bilateral hearing loss?

Learn about the various factors that can cause hearing loss:

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Congenital factors
Bilateral hearing loss may be present from birth. The propensity to develop hearing loss can be inherited from one or both parents.
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Medications
Some medications, including prescription medicines, can cause damage to the ears and are known as ototoxic drugs.
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Exposure to loud noises
Being exposed to loud sounds, such as when attending a concert or working at a building site, can cause temporary or long-term hearing damage.
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Physical damage
Hearing loss can result from physical damage to the hearing organs, including a ruptured eardrum or earwax build-up.
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Ear infections
Many people, especially children, are susceptible to ear infections, which can cause blockages or structural damage to the ears and hearing organs.
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Aging
Age-related hearing loss, which is also called Presbycusis, is the most common form of sensorineural hearing loss.
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Symptoms of bilateral hearing loss

Since hearing loss often occurs gradually over time, it can be difficult to identify the symptoms. Whether the signs of hearing loss are obvious or not, it is worth seeking professional advice even if you only notice the slightest of signs. Being proactive will help you to receive a proper diagnosis as early as possible so that you can seek treatment (if necessary). Any recognizable symptoms can be a sign of mild, moderate, severe, or profound hearing loss.

Common symptoms of hearing loss include:

  • Difficulty understanding others, especially in noisy environments
  • Turning up the TV volume louder than usual
  • Asking others to repeat themselves
  • Relying on lip reading to understand what others are saying

Additionally, unilateral hearing loss is typically easier to spot since sounds will be louder in one ear than the other. Bilateral hearing loss can be identified when sound is generally more difficult to hear in both ears.

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Treatment for bilateral hearing loss

Modern hearing aids are able to provide those with bilateral hearing loss with a natural hearing experience. Today's hearing aids not only amplify sound, but they send detailed sound signals to the brain, so that you can hear better with less effort.

In fact, the latest hearing aids can significantly improve speech understanding and increase the amount of sound delivered to the brain, providing a clearer sound scene. This enables those with bilateral hearing loss to hear more details in surrounding sounds.

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Types of bilateral hearing loss

Bilateral hearing loss can be classified as either sensorineural or conductive in nature.

Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss implies that the tiny hair cells in the inner ear or the auditory nerve (responsible for transmitting sound to the brain) are damaged. It is most often caused by the natural aging process or exposure to loud sounds.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Bilateral conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs in the outer or middle part of the ear, where sound is converted to vibrations and sent to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss refers to issues with transferring sound waves (due to a blockage or other impediment.) Excessive ear wax, a ruptured ear drum, or even ear infections can result in conductive hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss occurs in the outer or middle ear, preventing sound transmission to the inner ear.

Your hearing is our expertise


Our comprehensive FREE Guide to Hearing Health provides information on the various types of hearing loss, their causes, possible management options, what to expect from a hearing assessment, and much more including:

  • Audika’s commitment to the highest level of customer service
  • Helping a loved one with hearing loss
  • Types of hearing aids
  • Funding options for people needing financial support
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Oticon hearing aid models

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Meet the first hearing aid to do it all—unseen. Finally.

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  • Get tested and fitted on the spot, then take your hearing aids home the same day.
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Oticon Intent™
Engage in life like never before.
  • Clarity - hear more clearly, be more engaged, and enjoy life fully with 4D Sensor technology2
  • Confidence - Get the power to enjoy your day with all-day3 battery life packed into a small, discreet design.
  • New Product - The Oticon Intent miniBTETM R is now available at all Audika clinics across Australia.

24D Sensor technology only available in Oticon Intent 1 & 2.
3Up to 20 hours of use on a fully charged battery. Expected use time for rechargeable battery depends on use pattern, active feature set, hearing loss, sound environment, battery age and use of wireless accessories.

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Oticon Real™

Be curious. Be involved. Be sharp.

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Oticon Own invisible hearing aid for active lifestyles Oticon Own invisible hearing aid for active lifestyles
Oticon Own

Introducing the latest technology in custom hearing aids

Why choose Oticon Own? 

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Oticon Jet

Great sound. Great choice.

Oticon Jet gives you nine styles to select from, so you can find just the one for you. And with five different colours, you can choose the one that best matches the colour of your hair or skin:

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Powerful Oticon Xceed hearing aid shown alongside a family sitting together on a couch. Powerful Oticon Xceed hearing aid shown alongside a family sitting together on a couch.
Oticon Xceed

The hearing aid that opens up your world for people with severe to profound hearing loss

The unique technology in Xceed supports you in these situations by giving you more access to speech than ever before. Oticon Xceed is proven to give you better speech clarity with less listening effort in noisy environments, compared to Oticon's previous generations of powerful hearing aids1.

1 Ng 2019, Oticon whitepaper, sponsored by Oticon.

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Oticon Zircon

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Thanks to groundbreaking technology, Oticon Zircon offers 360° speech and clear sound from all directions, even when in noisy environments, so you can focus on the sounds you love.

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Mona Hemsley - Chief Audiologist and Head of Clinical Governance and Training

B.Comm(Mgt), GradCertSci., M.Clin.Aud.,MAudSA(CCP)

Mona’s career has seen her work in a wide range of audiological areas, including paediatrics, diagnostics and tinnitus counselling, where she ultimately developed a passion for adult rehabilitation and helping not simply hearing care clients but developing the skills of our network of clinicians. Mona’s consistent relationship-focused ability to train and foster the talents of all client-facing team members saw her move into State Management and national training roles, before advancing to her current role as Chief Audiologist and Head of Clinical Governance and Training for the entire Audika Clinical Network across Australia and New Zealand. 

Mona’s focus is now on ensuring every client that Audika interacts with is achieving a better quality of life, through a clinically consistent, professional and high-standard of care provided by all clinical team members. This client outcomes focus is the key driver in developing and reimagining the future of modern hearing care at Audika.

 

Relevant links

  1. Home
  2. Hearing loss
  3. Types
  4. Bilateral