Case Studies

First person accounts of ear related medical experiences and treatments. Each story details a specific condition, treatment process and personal outcome.

How I Coped with Sudden Deafness: A Case Study

Waking up deaf from a viral infection, Michael had to rebuild his life and learn new ways to communicate with family and the world around him.

I Beat Stress by Having Ear Acupuncture: A Case Study

One woman found relief from overwhelming stress through ear acupuncture when life's demands became unbearable.

I Don't Hear as Well as I Used To: A Case Study

An active woman in her 70s discovers her hearing loss during phone calls with her sister and learns what came next.

I Had Hopi Ear Candling: A Case Study

One woman tried hopi ear candling for chronic sinusitis and found out whether the alternative therapy actually works.

I Had My Ears Pinned Back: A Case Study

One man's ear surgery transformed him from a reclusive 22-year-old into a confident adult with a thriving career and social life.

I Had to Learn to Live with Tinnitus: A Case Study

Alan developed tinnitus after a workplace hearing injury and shares how he learned to adapt to the constant ringing in his ears.

I Had to Wait a Year for a Digital Hearing Aid: A Case Study

Martin lost his hearing in a workplace explosion and waited a year to get a digital hearing aid that could help him hear again.

I Have Autoimmune Ear Disease: A Case Study

A woman's sudden hearing loss after a fall leads to an autoimmune ear disease diagnosis that changes her life.

I Have Meniere's Disease: A Case Study

George shares how he rebuilt his life after a Meniere's disease diagnosis disrupted his retail management career.

I Lost My Ear: A Case Study

Peter's car accident caused a shattered window that severed his ear, revealing how a small delay in repairs led to life-changing consequences.

I Went Deaf After a Cold: A Case Study

A teenage girl lost her hearing after a double cold infection just before her exams, and here's what happened next.

My Child Had a Bad Ear Infection: A Case Study

A parent's account of caring for her young daughter through a severe ear infection and the emotional toll it took on the whole family.

My Ears Really Were Burning: A Case Study

A man's embarrassing lesson in sun safety after years of nagging his wife about sunbathing leads to severe sunburn requiring hospital treatment.

My Pierced Ears Got Infected: A Case Study

Emily got her ears pierced secretly at a tattoo parlor and learned the hard way why infections happen when aftercare goes wrong.

My Son Had a Cholesteatoma: A Case Study

A mother's account of her son's three surgeries for cholesteatoma, a skin condition behind the eardrum that caused recurring ear infections and hearing loss.

Punk Rock Made Me Deaf: A Case Study

How years of loud punk rock concerts and headphone use during her teenage years left Alison deaf in adulthood.