Hearing Loss Program

A cholesteatoma is a skin cyst in the middle ear made of trapped skin cells and debris that damages your eardrum. It can also grow and damage your middle ear, inner ear, and even your brain if left untreated. A cholesteatoma can cause hearing loss, dizziness, infections, and injury to your facial nerve.

Conductive hearing loss happens when sound can’t reach your inner ear. It develops from problems with your outer or middle ear, such as an infection, fluid buildup, or malformation of the ear.

Ear cancer most commonly starts as skin cancer on your outer ear or in the ear canal. Tumors can also develop in the ear canal, and may involve nearby structures, such as your mastoid (bone behind the ear) or inner ear organs of hearing and balance. Symptoms of ear cancer may include hearing loss, pain, bleeding, drainage from your ear, and weakness in your face.

Trauma to your ear can cause a number of injuries, including blood pockets (auricular hematoma), eardrum rupture (tympanic membrane perforation), bone fractures (temporal bone fracture), and bone dislocations (ossicular dislocation). These conditions lead to hearing loss and other complications, and often need surgical treatment.

The Eustachian tube connects your middle ear to the back of your nose, draining mucus created by your middle ear and opening when you swallow or yawn to balance the pressure in your ear. Eustachian tube dysfunction happens when the tubes do not open or close properly and air gets trapped inside. The two most common types of Eustachian tube dysfunction are obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction (the valve of the Eustachian tube does not open properly, most common in young children) and patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction (the valve of the Eustachian tube is stuck open).

Exostoses, sometimes called surfer’s ear, are bony growths in the ear canal. They usually develop from exposure to cold water and can cause hearing loss or infections. Sometimes, your doctor may have to remove skin cells and debris trapped by exostoses, or may surgically remove large exostoses. 

Microtia is an underdeveloped ear that is present from birth. Microtia ranges from a slightly smaller ear than normal to the complete absence of your outer ear and ear canal. Treatment may include an ear prosthetic, surgery to adjust the shape of the ear and ear canal, or implanted hearing devices.

Otosclerosis is an inherited disease of the bone surrounding the inner ear (the otic capsule). The disease causes bone growth, bone loss, and bone scarring. Otosclerosis often causes conductive hearing loss and inner ear hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss happens after damage to the inner ear (the cochlea) or the nerves involved in hearing. There are many causes of sensorineural hearing loss, such as aging, exposure to loud noise, or autoimmune disease. Treatment commonly involves hearing aids or implanted hearing devices.

Your tympanic membrane (eardrum) is a thin piece of skin separating your outer ear from your middle ear. A hole in your tympanic membrane (eardrum rupture) can happen from trauma, such as a sharp object pushed into the ear, a rapid change in pressure, or an extremely loud noise. The hole can cause hearing loss and increase your risk for infections and skin cysts (cholesteatomas).

Sometimes we don’t need to take immediate action. Active surveillance means we’ll keep a close eye on your condition. If your condition worsens or poses a risk to your health, then we’ll discuss a treatment plan with you.

Medications help treat certain causes of hearing loss, such as ear infections, autoimmune problems, and otosclerosis. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat infection or corticosteroids to reduce swelling and inflammation in your ear.

We offer hearing aids to amplify the sound around you and change it into something you can hear. Our specialists work with you to figure out the type, fit, and settings that work best for you. You may receive:

• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids
• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids
• In-the-canal (ITC) aids

When hearing aids don’t work well enough, our skilled surgeons can implant a hearing device. These devices include:

• Bone conduction hearing devices, including bone-anchored hearing aids
• Cochlear implants, which preserve or enhance hearing, at our dedicated Cochlear Implant Center

We specialize in advanced microsurgery procedures to help improve your hearing. Your treatment plan may include surgery to:

• Fix the tiny structures and bones in your ear
• Remove blockages or growths
• Place an implantable hearing device, such as a cochlear implant

If your ear condition affects your balance, you have access to our Stanford Balance Center. Our team combines neurology, otolaryngology (ENT), rehabilitation medicine, and orthopaedic expertise. We do complete evaluations that help us make personalized treatment plans to improve your balance. 

We offer all types of radiation therapies for ear cancers, which may include skin cancer or tumors in the ear and surrounding structures. Radiation destroys cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. Our radiation specialists figure out the right approach for your specific cancer diagnosis.

To treat advanced ear cancer, you may need cancer medications. These medications work to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells throughout your whole body. We most commonly use a group of strong drugs called chemotherapy. Your doctor may recommend you receive these medications in pill form or as an injection into your blood vessels, muscles, or skin.

While we may focus on your ear, we care about maximizing your overall wellness. Your total health plays a role in the success of your treatment. We offer a range of support services to assist you and your family throughout your hearing loss journey.