Conductive Hearing Loss Treatment in Iowa & Illinois

What Is Conductive Hearing Loss?

Conductive hearing loss is caused by damage or obstruction in the middle or outer area of the ear. This differs from sensorineural hearing loss, which results from damage to the inner ear or the nerve transmitting signals to the brain. Conductive hearing loss can stem from ear infections, blockages, or structural abnormalities and in many cases, it is treatable or fully reversible.

At Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers, our team of Doctors of Audiology provides expert hearing evaluations and personalized treatment plans to patients across our seven convenient locations in Iowa and Illinois serving Clinton, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, Kewanee, and Moline. Whether you’re in the Quad Cities, along the Mississippi River corridor, or throughout eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois, we’re close to home and ready to help.

Understanding Conductive Hearing Loss

Hearing loss generally falls into three categories: conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. While sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type overall accounting for more than 90% of adult cases conductive hearing loss is the most frequent cause of hearing loss in young children, making early evaluation especially important for families.

Conductive hearing loss can affect one ear (unilateral) or both ears (bilateral) and can range from mild to more significant impairment. The encouraging news is that most cases can be meaningfully improved with the right treatment and Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers has the team and technology to find that treatment for you.

Symptoms of Conductive Hearing Loss

If you or your child may have hearing loss, seeking help early is important to prevent further complications. Most cases of conductive hearing loss can be improved and the sooner care begins, the better the outcome.

Common symptoms include:

  • Muffled or unclear sounds
  • The sense that people are mumbling or not speaking clearly
  • A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
  • Pain or discomfort, particularly if the cause is an infection or blockage
  • Difficulty following conversations, especially in noisy environments
  • Noticeable improvement in hearing when sounds are made louder
  • Trouble separating speech from background noise
  • Ear popping or ringing
  • The perception that your own voice sounds unusually loud
  • Balance issues

Not sure if what you’re experiencing is hearing loss? Our team will answer that question clearly and honestly no guesswork, no pressure.

Causes and Diagnosing Conductive Hearing Loss

At Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers, our Doctors of Audiology Dr. Tamarra Friedrichsen, Dr. Elisabeth Aman, Dr. Monica Duve, Dr. Kaitlin Engelke, Dr. Shanna Skubal, and our team take an unhurried, patient-centered approach to understanding your symptoms and identifying the cause of your hearing loss. You can expect:

  • A thorough review of your medical history
  • A detailed discussion of your symptoms and hearing concerns
  • A physical examination of the ear
  • Audiologic testing, which may include audiometry, speech testing, and tympanometry all services offered at our locations
  • Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing when nerve pathway evaluation is needed
  • Referral for imaging studies such as MRI or CT scan when indicated

Conductive hearing loss has a wide range of potential causes, most commonly including:

  • Blockage of the ear canal
  • Ear infections, including chronic or recurrent infections
  • Ear tumors
  • A ruptured or perforated eardrum
  • Problems with the three small bones (ossicles) in the middle ear
  • Fluid behind the eardrum, often following a cold or swimmer’s ear
  • Foreign objects lodged in the ear canal
  • Excessive earwax buildup — one of the most common and easily resolved causes, addressable through our professional earwax management services

Treating Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive hearing loss can sound alarming, but with accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, many patients experience full or significant restoration of hearing. At Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers, our team of Doctors of Audiology brings deep clinical expertise and a genuine commitment to finding solutions that fit your hearing challenges and your lifestyle at whichever of our seven locations is most convenient for you.

Treatment is always tailored to the cause, severity, and whether the hearing loss came on suddenly or gradually. If your hearing loss is sudden, please contact us right away sudden hearing loss requires urgent evaluation.

Treatment options may include:

  • Urgent medical management for sudden-onset hearing loss, with referral to appropriate specialists as needed
  • Earwax removal or clearing of other blockages available through our professional earwax management services at our locations
  • Medical management or referral for infections, inflammatory conditions, or tumors affecting the ear
  • Hearing aids for mild to moderate cases fitted and programmed by our Doctors of Audiology with custom solutions and ongoing support, available from leading brands including Starkey, Oticon, Phonak, Signia, ReSound, Rexton, and Unitron
  • Referral to an ENT physician or surgeon for cases requiring repair of the eardrum or ossicles, ear tube placement, or surgical implantation
  • Cochlear implants Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers provides cochlear implant services directly, and our team can guide you through candidacy and every step of the process
  • Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) and captioning solutions, including CaptionCall, for patients who need support in specific listening situations

Schedule Your Free Consultation in Iowa and Illinois

Killean Audiology & Hearing Aid Centers is a trusted, multi-location audiology practice serving eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois with seven offices to make expert hearing care as convenient as possible for patients throughout the region. We understand your hearing challenges, and we are committed to finding solutions that truly fit your lifestyle.

With locations in Clinton, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, Kewanee, and Moline, there’s a Killean Audiology office near you. Call or text any of our locations to get started today.