Hearing and Ear Disorders

If you are experiencing trouble hearing or any discomfort in the inner or outer ear, call (312) 229-9000 or schedule an appointment online now with the top ear doctors in Chicago – Michigan Avenue ENT.

Typically caused by changes in pressure between the inside and outside of the eardrum, ear popping is disorienting. If you are experiencing congestion in the ear – caused by traveling at high altitudes or a long swim underwater – and swallowing or yawning does not provide relief – it is time to see an ear doctor. While rarely serious, if the condition worsens, it could lead to a perforated eardrum, ear infections, and potential hearing loss.

A partial or complete inability to hear is a serious condition and warrants immediate attention. If you are unable to hear 25 decibels in at least one ear, visiting an ENT to address the hearing impairment is essential to your overall health and well-being. Hearing loss or hearing impairment (defined as a partial or total inability to hear) has a number of causes including: genetics, aging, chronic infections and short or long term exposure to noise.

One of the most common hearing conditions and ailments treated at Michigan Avenue is muffled hearing – the inability to hear “normally”. If you find it difficult to hear in crowded restaurants, turn the television volume up to a level that is considered too loud by others, or regularly ask people to repeat themselves, visiting an ENT should be on your list of health issues to address, as it can signify potential hearing loss or other auditory problems.

Otitis Media: Any ear pain at all warrants a trip to the ear doctor, but if that ear pain is accompanied with a fever or hearing loss (even moderate hearing loss), schedule an appointment with Michigan Avenue ENT immediately. Inner ear infections have a variety of causes, such as illness including upper respiratory infections or exposure to other environmental conditions (such as smoke), and present one of the greatest threats to hearing in general.

Otitis Externa: One of the more common ear health ailments, the inflammation associated with outer ear infections, can be uncomfortable and in some cases very painful. An outer ear infection, known as Otitis Externa, is an infection of the ear canal skin and is typically caused by bacteria or fungi. The condition is typically self-diagnosable, with symptoms ranging from pain and discharge to swelling of the ear canal and decreased hearing capacity.