Exposure to loud noise and having a family history of hearing problems increase your risk of hearing loss. Taking certain medications and having a personal history of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and thyroid problems may also increase your risk.
At UW Health, our experienced audiologists and ear, nose and throat doctors work together to evaluate and treat hearing loss.
Hearing aidsConsidering over-the-counter hearing aids?
UW Health audiologists advise people to get a hearing test before buying OTC hearing aids.
The International Hearing Society reports that you could have hearing loss if you:
Have a family history of hearing loss
Have been repeatedly exposed to high noise levels
Are inclined to believe that "everybody mumbles" or "people don't speak as clearly as they used to"
Feel growing nervous tension, irritability or fatigue from the effort to hear
Find yourself straining to understand conversations and watching people's faces intently when you are listening
Frequently misunderstand or need to have things repeated
Increase the television or radio volume to a point that others complain of the loudness
Have diabetes, heart, thyroid or circulation problems, reoccurring ear infections, constant ringing in the ears, dizziness or exposure to ototoxic drugs or medications
If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, it might be beneficial to get your hearing tested.
Sudden hearing loss can be a sign of a serious medical condition. You should see a doctor right away if you experience sudden hearing loss.
Your hearing test can tell us what type of hearing loss you have.
Conductive hearing loss
Caused by problems in your ear canal, eardrum or middle ear. Sounds may seem muffled, like they would if you covered your hands with your ears. Heredity, congenital anomalies, ear infections and wax buildup may cause conductive hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss
Caused by damage to your cochlea or auditory nerve. The tiny hair cells of the inner ear that transmit sounds to your nerves are usually responsible for a sensorineural hearing loss. This type of hearing loss makes it hard to understand speech or to tell the difference between certain speech sounds.
Treatment
Your treatment depends on the type of hearing loss you have.
If you have conductive hearing loss, medication or surgery may help correct your condition. Our audiologist will refer you to one of our ear, nose and throat specialists for treatment. If you still have problems hearing after treatment, a hearing aid may be helpful.
Medical or surgical treatment for sensorineural hearing loss is more limited. However, treatment options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants can help.
Experienced audiologists and ear, nose and throat specialists evaluate and treat hearing loss at UW Health. We offer the best in medical and non-medical hearing care. We help you manage hearing loss and work with you on treatment that will be most helpful.
We offer several services and information sources to help you if you have hearing loss.
Audiology clinics
We offer audiology clinics for adults and children. Our audiologists aim to prevent, identify, assess and treat hearing disorders in the least invasive way possible.
Hearing aid services clinic
Our Hearing Aid Services Clinic offers hearing aid cleaning, supplies and simple repairs.
1 S Park St Medical Center Audiology and Hearing Services Clinic
1 S Park St /Madison, WI 
(608) 287-2650
1 S Park St Medical Center Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic
- 1 S Park St /
Madison, WI - (608) 287-2500
American Family Children's Hospital Pediatric Audiology Clinic
- 1675 Highland Ave /
Madison, WI - (608) 262-3147
American Family Children's Hospital Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic
- 1675 Highland Ave /
Madison, WI - (608) 263-6420
University Hospital Audiology Clinic
- 600 Highland Ave /
Madison, WI - (608) 263-6190
University Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic
- 600 Highland Ave /
Madison, WI - (608) 263-6190
N Alpine Rd Clinic Audiology Clinic
- 1253 N Alpine Rd /
Rockford, IL - (779) 696-9201