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Progressive Otosclerosis

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

A lady wrote:

I have had hearing problems since I was in my 20s. I have had surgery for otosclerosis 3 times in my left ear and 2 in the right.

Another lady responded:

I have been diagnosed with otosclerosis. My left ear is worse than the right. Until now, nobody ever mentioned that this surgery might not be permanent. If the bone is just going to grow back, what is the advantage of the surgery? I can still hear somewhat–should I just wait until my hearing is completely gone before pursuing it?

Let me explain a bit about otosclerosis. There are two basic kinds of otosclerosis. If it just affects your middle ear—basically spongy bone overgrows the stapes (stirrup) and fixes it to the oval window so it can’t vibrate freely–you have the more common kind of otosclerosis. This kind gives you a conductive loss. This is also the kind of otosclerosis that surgery can fix.

If the spongy bone growth invades the cochlea, you not only have a conductive loss, you also end up with a sensorineural hearing loss. Cochlear otosclerosis can not be fixed by surgery like the middle ear variety can.

Unfortunately, as you have discovered, this surgery isn’t always a permanent fix. This is because often the spongy bone continues to overgrow the stapes and consequently eventually you need the operation all over again.

In some people, this occurs quite rapidly. In others it takes a long time. I think a lot depends on what stage you are in your life. In women, otosclerosis often flares up at puberty, pregnancy and menopause. So for example, if you had a stapedectomy to fix your otosclerosis, and then got pregnant, you might undo it all in short order. However, if you had the surgery after menopause, you might have good results for the rest of your life.

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Hearing Loss Research & Resources

Free Visor Cards

Download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Loop Systems

Loop your home or meeting room. Discover how you can hear wonderfully clear sound again when listening to the TV/radio, etc, or when listening to a speaker at a meeting.

Loop systems are one of the best-kept secrets in town. To learn more about Loop Systems and what they can do for you, click here.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Hearing Phantom Sounds?

When hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

To learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them, click here to read a comprehensive article about Musical Ear Syndrome.

Or get the book—Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.

1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA

Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com

Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].