Hearing and Audiology

The medical and hearing professionals at Maxwell, Kluger & Makaretz understand how isolating hearing loss can be. Our team of doctors and audiologists works closely with infants, children and adults to diagnose and treat a wide variety of disorders of the ears. We work not only with patients experiencing hearing difficulties but also those with associated tinnitus and balance problems.

Types of Hearing Problems:

Hearing problems generally fall into three categories:

	•	Conductive hearing loss
	•	Sensorineural hearing loss
	•	Mixed hearing loss

A conductive hearing loss refers to a decrease in the conduction of sound through the ear canal, eardrum, and the 3 tiny bones of the middle ear. Common causes of conductive hearing loss include:

	•	Wax or a foreign body obstructing the external ear canal.
	•	Presence of a hole in the ear drum
	•	Fluid filling the middle ear space, which is the area behind the ear drum containing the bones of the middle ear.
	•	Otosclerosis - A condition that results in fixation of the stapes, which is one of the bones of the middle ear.

A sensorineural hearing loss refers to a decrease in the ability of the "hearing nerves" to transmit the sound signal to the brain. Common causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:

	•	Presbycusis - Hearing loss due to the natural aging process
	•	Noise exposure
	•	Meniere's Disease
	•	Viral infection
	•	Autoimmune Disease

A mixed hearing loss is some combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Sometimes hearing loss can be corrected medically (such as using antibiotics to clear an ear infection) or surgically (such as repairing a hole in the ear drum). The physicians at Maxwell, Kluger and Makaretz have over 50 years of combined experience treating disorders of the ear through medical and surgical options. When medical/surgical solutions are not an option, many patients will benefit from being fitted with hearing aids. The audiologists at MKM are dedicated to providing the most appropriate and affordable amplification solution to each individual patient.