Living with hearing loss in one ear can make everyday conversations, busy environments and social situations more challenging than many people realise.
At The Listening Lab Singapore, our audiologists assess and manage patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) and unilateral hearing loss. Following a comprehensive hearing assessment, we’ll recommend the most appropriate treatment based on your hearing profile, lifestyle and communication needs.
Unilateral hearing loss is a condition where there is a reduction of hearing capability in only one ear, ranging from mild to profound severity, while the other ear may have normal or varying levels of hearing. Some are born with hearing loss in one ear, while others develop it later in life due to illness, injury, infection, or structural issues within the auditory system. The severity and specific configuration can vary from person to person, making a professional hearing assessment an important first step.
Depending on your hearing profile, treatment may include a conventional hearing aid, a specialized CROS or BiCROS hearing aid system, assistive listening devices, or targeted medical intervention based on the root cause.
Single-sided deafness (SSD), is a subset of unilateral hearing loss where the hearing loss in one ear is severe or profound while the other ear hears normally. Some are born with hearing loss in one ear, while others develop it later in life due to illness, injury, infection or sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The severity and cause can vary from person to person, making a professional hearing assessment an important first step.
Depending on your hearing profile, treatment may include a conventional hearing aid, a CROS or BiCROS hearing aid system, or in selected cases, referral for a cochlear implant assessment.
You may have single-sided hearing loss if you:
If these situations sound familiar, a comprehensive hearing assessment can help determine the cause and identify the most suitable treatment.
Healthy hearing relies on both ears working together. Your brain compares the sounds received from each ear to help you:
When one ear has little or no usable hearing, your brain receives less information to process. As a result, everyday listening situations can become more demanding, even if your other ear hears well.
At The Listening Lab, every recommendation begins with a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Your audiologist examines the ear canal and eardrum to identify any visible conditions that may affect hearing.
A hearing test measures the hearing levels of each ear individually to determine the type and severity of hearing loss.
A test used to evaluate the condition of the middle ear and the eardrum. This test will be used to help audiologists identify if the hearing loss is conductive or mixed in nature
Speech testing evaluates how clearly you recognise speech in different listening environments.
Your audiologist will explain your results, discuss how your hearing affects your daily life, and recommend suitable treatment options based on your hearing profile and lifestyle.
If your hearing loss requires further medical evaluation, we may also recommend consultation with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist.
Not every person with hearing loss in one ear requires the same treatment. The most appropriate solution depends on the hearing ability of both ears, your communication needs and your lifestyle.
Following your hearing assessment, your audiologist may recommend one of the following:
| Your Hearing Condition | Possible Treatment |
|---|---|
| Mild to moderate hearing loss in one ear | Conventional hearing aid (where appropriate) |
| Little or no usable hearing in one ear, normal or near-normal hearing in the other | CROS hearing aid |
| Little or no usable hearing in one ear, aidable hearing loss in the better ear | BiCROS hearing aid |
| Selected cases of severe to profound hearing loss | Cochlear implant assessment (where medically appropriate) |
Every recommendation is personalised. Your audiologist will discuss the benefits and limitations of each option before recommending the most appropriate solution for your hearing needs.
A conventional hearing aid works by amplifying sound so it can be heard more clearly by an ear that still has usable hearing. For many types of hearing loss, this is an effective solution.
However, if one ear has little or no usable hearing, simply making sounds louder in that ear may provide little or no meaningful benefit.
For suitable candidates, CROS and BiCROS hearing aid systems work differently. Rather than amplifying the poorer-hearing ear, they capture sounds from that side and wirelessly transmit them to the better-hearing ear. This helps improve awareness of sounds coming from your affected side and can make everyday conversations easier.
While CROS and BiCROS systems do not restore natural two-eared hearing or precise sound localisation, they can help reduce the head shadow effect, where your head blocks speech and environmental sounds from reaching your better-hearing ear.
| Conventional Hearing Aid | CROS Hearing Aid | BiCROS Hearing Aid |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for ears with aidable hearing loss | Suitable when one ear has little or no usable hearing and the other ear hears normally or near-normally | Suitable when one ear has little or no usable hearing and the better ear also has hearing loss |
| Amplifies sound in the affected ear | Captures sound from the poorer ear and wirelessly sends it to the better-hearing ear | Captures sound from the poorer ear while also amplifying the better-hearing ear |
| Helps improve hearing in the ear wearing the hearing aid | Helps improve awareness of sounds coming from the poorer-hearing side | Helps improve awareness of sounds while supporting hearing in the better ear |
At The Listening Lab Singapore, we offer CROS and BiCROS hearing aid solutions from leading hearing aid manufacturers, including:
Your audiologist will recommend the most suitable solution based on your hearing assessment, listening needs and lifestyle.
A very detailed & fine hearing loss company that provides excellent quality ear test & give very good advise for hearing related issues. Highly recommended. The technician Patrick did an excellent job for my hearing test.
I was having issue with my hearing and after having a free hearing test, and Patrick was able to help with the explanation and how it will affect my daily life. Would highly recommend to have hearing tested with you’re facing issue
Fann was fanntastically (pun intended) friendly and patient, gave me a hearing test that were both helpful and useful for my better understanding of age related hearing loss. The premises was nicely furnished and welcoming. All you need to do is stop by and step in. Fann will hear you out. Highly recommended.
Got my hearing tested by Alicia, she was so assuring through the entire hearing test and explained the results very thoroughly. Definitely recommended if you need a hearing test checkup!
I brought my father for a hearing test and the experience was very pleasant. The audiologist Alicia conducted the test very patiently and professionally. She explained the results and addressed our questions very well, without any sales pitch. Alicia also conducted further test to make the assessment more comprehensive and she gave us options to the hearing aids available, and suggested follow-up treatment with an ENT. I highly recommend this place. The response was also quick and it was relatively easy to get an appointment. The hearing test was free but the report was chargeable.
Made an appointment to bring my grandmother down for a hearing test and to assess her suitability for the use of hearing aids. Fiyonn’s service was impeccable, from administering the tests to giving sound advice! She really made the entire session very comfortable for us and my grandmother left happily with the hearing aids in her ears 🙂
I am very happy with the service provided by this lab. Each time I come, I am able to have my problems corrected. Thanks to all the staff
Joo Huat Joel Tan
We would like to express our gratitude to Ms Alicia who attended & assisted our 87 years old Father on the diagnose of his faulty hearing aids.She’s really patient and attentive with a good listening ear, despite the language barrier.
Debbie Shing
Very happy to have gotten a pair of hearing aids recommended by Shawn for my mother, now she’s able to hear us much better & more aware of the surrounding environment. Was very appreciative on the post follow up & attentiveness to details to cater/ tune to her hearing needs. Thank you.
M&M TN
Very friendly team in Listening Lab Marine Parade branch. Even helped us to call a cab for our dad who is in a wheelchair to get home safely. Thank you good heart folks!
Susan Ang
I highly recommend anyone who wants to get a good hearing device to head to Listening Lab (LL) as it has the expertise, experience and technology to give you a good hearing fit. I have very good experience with Bloom and its successor, Listening Lab, which has been reorganised with up to date technology. I have been wearing hearing devices for the last 15 plus years, but have wonderful, close to human ears experience for the last 8 years or so when under the care of Bloom/LL.
A Leo
To start, I have nothing but praise and gratefulness to Ms Vina Ang for attending to the charging device and the buzzing sound on the right hearing aid. She not only diagnosed the problems superbly. She was patiently explaining the causes of the issues. Especially, the buzzing issue which was due to blockage and infection of my right ear. As to the malfunction of the charger, she traced it to the defect of my charging cable. And she replaced my faulty cable with a new one without charge. I really cannot asked for more. Thanks to the after sale service of your company and your audiologist. The services which your people have accorded to me was exemplary.
Teo Kim Meng
Unilateral hearing loss refers to hearing loss affecting one ear. Single-sided deafness (SSD) generally describes cases where one ear has severe to profound hearing loss with little or no usable hearing.
You can contact us or check our locations to book an appointment.
Depending on your hearing profile, your audiologist may recommend a conventional hearing aid, a CROS or BiCROS hearing aid system, or another appropriate treatment option. A comprehensive hearing assessment is required to determine suitability.
No. CROS and BiCROS systems do not restore normal binaural hearing or natural sound localisation. Instead, they help improve awareness of sounds coming from the affected side and reduce the listening effort associated with hearing from one ear.
The choice depends on the hearing ability of your better ear. If your better ear hears normally, a CROS system may be suitable. If it also has hearing loss, a BiCROS system may be recommended. Your audiologist will determine the most appropriate option after a hearing assessment.
Not necessarily. Depending on the cause and severity of your hearing loss, treatment options may include conventional hearing aids, CROS or BiCROS systems, or referral for a cochlear implant assessment if clinically appropriate.
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