At Mount Sinai’s Center for Hearing and Balance, we treat the full gamut of hearing loss and balance disorders, including:

• Acoustic Neuroma: Also called vestibular schwannoma, an acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor of the hearing and balance nerve that produces hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and dizziness.
• Cholesteaoma: A skin-lined cyst that begins at the margin of the eardrum and invades the middle ear and mastoid, a cholesteatoma grows aggressively and could cause an ear infection that won’t go away. 
• Glomus Tumors: Glomus tumors (also known as paragangliomas) are slow growing, often benign vascular tumors typically located deep in the ear and skull base.
• Otosclerosis: In this disorder, an abnormal bone forms around the stapes (a tiny bone within your inner ear) that prevents the stapes from vibrating properly, causing a decrease in hearing. 
• Sudden Hearing Loss: This condition develops over 24 hours or less, beginning with no warning and for no apparent reason. The hearing loss originates in the hearing organ of the inner ear or in the hearing nerve.
• Sensorineural Deafness/Presbycusis: Caused by damage to the inner ear hair cells or the nerves that carry electric signals to the brain, this hearing loss may be treated with hearing aids or a cochlear implant.
• Single-Sided Deafness (SSD): Also known as unilateral hearing loss, single-sided deafness is associated with severe hearing loss in only one ear and can stem from birth, infections, acoustic neuroma, trauma or a vascular disorder.
• Temporal Bone Cancer: Cancers of the ear and temporal bone are uncommon, malignant tumors that often originate from the surrounding skin or parotid gland.
• Vertigo and Balance Disorders: Defined as a “hallucination of movement,” vertigo most often involves a spinning sensation. Imbalance is a gait disorder that can have many causes.
  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A common cause of vertigo, BPPV is caused by loose particles, or “crystals,” of calcium in the inner ear, which produces a brief, disturbing vertigo sensation. 
  • Meniere’s Disease: This disorder of the inner ear is caused by an overproduction of fluid and produces symptoms including dizziness, hearing loss, tinnitus, and pressure in the ear.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hearing and Balance Disorders

What are some indications that I may have a hearing problem?
Hearing problems often develop gradually. Clues that there might be a problem include difficulty with conversation, asking people to repeat themselves, trouble hearing in restaurants or where there is background noise, turning the TV up too loud.

I have ringing in my ears. Can anything be done about it?
Tinnitus is the medical name for ringing or head noise. The cause is usually a problem in the inner ear, although sometimes a tumor or stray blood vessel is responsible. Patients should have an ear exam and audiogram. Special tests will be obtained when necessary. With proper diagnosis, an effective treatment can often be found. While some forms of tinnitus cannot be eliminated, most cases can be improved with medical treatment, sound therapy, or cognitive therapy.

Isn’t my mother too old for a cochlear implant?
It is now well proven that hearing loss in the elderly leads to social isolation, cognitive and memory impairment, and even dementia (senility). Cochlear implants are very effective when hearing aids no longer work. The operation for cochlear implant takes less than 3 hours and patients can go home the same day. At Mount Sinai, we have implanted many elderly patients successfully, and their lives are usually transformed.

I have an ear infection that won’t go away. What can be done?
The chronic draining ear is a challenging problem that can have several causes. Sometimes the problem is a resistant bacteria; other times there is a cholesteatoma that has escaped detection. The diagnosis may require careful examination of the ear under the microscope, imaging studies, or cultures. In most cases making the correct diagnosis will lead to successful treatment.

How do you get rid of crystals in the ear?
“Ear Crystals” refers to the calcium particles that cause benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This is a disturbing condition that causes spinning vertigo when rolling in bed or reaching for the top shelf. The condition can be treated effectively in the office.