Outlook

The likelihood that hearing will return depends on the cause of the hearing loss.

• Hearing will usually return to normal with removal of foreign bodies in the canal, removal of wax in the canal, and treatment of ear canal infections (otitis externa).

• Hearing will usually return to normal after treatment of middle ear infection (otitis media).

• Antibiotics are usually given for 7-14 days.
  
  
• Rarely, a second course of different antibiotics may be necessary if the infection does not respond to the first type of antibiotic.
  
  
• It may, however, take a longer period of time for the fluid in the middle ear to resolve completely and the hearing to return to normal.

• Injuries to the tympanic membrane will usually heal on their own. Once healed, hearing usually returns to normal.

• If the perforation is large (bigger than 50% of the membrane), surgery may be required to fix the eardrum.
  
  
• A skin graft is sometimes used to replace or fix the tympanic membrane.

• Hearing loss due to drugs may or may not return with withdrawal of the drug.

• No proven treatment restores the hearing other than removal of the drug.
  
  
• Some doctors may try giving drugs known as steroids to restore hearing.

• Hearing loss due to infections such as meningitis may not return. The doctor may try using steroids during the illness to decrease the amount of hearing loss.

• Hearing loss due to Ménière disease, acoustic neuroma, and age is usually permanent.