Evaluation

Apuntes

Evaluation of hearing loss in adults Official reprint from UpToDate www.uptodate.com ©2026 UpToDate Evaluation of hearing loss in adults Author: Peter C Weber, MD, FACS Section Editor: Daniel G Deschler, MD, FACS Deputy Editor: Zehra Hussain, MD, FACP Contributor Disclosures All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. Literature review current through: Jan 2026. | This topic last updated: Mar 12, 2025. INTRODUCTION Hearing loss is a common problem that everyone experiences from time to time. Most commonly it occurs when flying or traveling up a mountain, and a full sensation develops in the ears, leading to the feeling of wanting to pop the ears open in order to hear better. Diminished hearing also may occur during an ear infection. These causes of hearing loss are usually short-lived. The other extreme is the permanent sensorineural hearing loss that occurs with aging, which most people experience to some degree [1]. The evaluation of hearing loss in adults will be reviewed here. The etiology and treatment of hearing loss are discussed separately. (See "Etiology of hearing loss in adults" and "Hearing amplification in adult...