Board-certified specialists treating hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and more.
Same-week appointments · 3 Denver-area offices
We offer a variety of diagnostics and procedures related to hearing and balance.
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The eustachian tube connects your middle ear to the back of your nose and throat. It helps drain fluid and balance air pressure in your ear. When it doesn't open properly, you can feel ear pressure, fullness, or muffled hearing that doesn't go away on its own. This procedure uses a small balloon to gently widen the tube so it can work the way it's supposed to.
You may be a candidate if you've had ongoing ear pressure, popping, or muffled hearing for weeks or months, especially if it hasn't improved with allergy treatment, decongestants, or other home remedies. This is often considered when those steps haven't given you lasting relief.
This isn't right for everyone. If your symptoms come from an active ear infection or a structural problem in the ear, your provider may recommend addressing that first.
This procedure takes place in the office, not a hospital or surgery center, and you stay awake the whole time. Your provider numbs your nose with a spray or gel, then guides a small, flexible balloon through your nostril to the eustachian tube. The balloon stays inflated for about one to two minutes, then it's removed. Most people feel mild pressure during that time. The visit usually takes less than an hour, with the balloon part itself lasting just a few minutes per side.
You can typically go back to your normal day right after. Some people notice mild nasal congestion or slight ear pressure for a few days afterward, which is common while the tissue settles. Improvement in ear pressure and hearing often happens gradually over the following weeks.
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Ear tubes are small cylinders placed through a tiny opening in the eardrum. They let air in and fluid out of the middle ear, which relieves pressure and helps prevent fluid from building back up. This is often recommended when infections or fluid keep coming back and are affecting hearing.
You may be a candidate if there have been repeated ear infections, fluid behind the eardrum that hasn't cleared after several weeks, or hearing loss caused by that fluid. This is often considered after other treatments, like antibiotics or a period of watchful waiting, haven't solved the problem.
If there's an active outer ear infection or another issue that needs attention first, your provider will talk with you about timing.
Many adults can have ear tubes placed in the office, with local numbing. The procedure itself is brief, often just a few minutes per ear. A small opening is made in the eardrum and the tube is set into place. Afterward, you may notice some ear discomfort or hear popping and crackling sounds as fluid drains.
Recovery is typically quick. For in-office placement, most adults return to their normal day right away. You'll get specific instructions about keeping water out of the ear while it heals. Hearing often improves once the fluid drains, though how quickly that happens can vary.
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Ear wax is normal, and it usually clears on its own. Sometimes it builds up and blocks the ear canal, which can cause muffled hearing, itching, fullness, or even dizziness. Ear cleaning removes that blockage safely, using tools made for the job instead of cotton swabs, which tend to push wax further in.
You may need this if your ear feels full or blocked, your hearing seems muffled, or over-the-counter drops haven't cleared it up. This is also common before a hearing test or hearing aid fitting, since wax buildup can affect the results.
If you have a hole in your eardrum, ear tubes, or a history of ear surgery, mention it beforehand so your provider can choose the safest method.
This is done in the office, and you stay awake the whole time. Your provider looks in your ear first to see how much wax is there and where. Depending on what they find, they may use gentle suction, a small instrument, or irrigation that flushes the ear with water. Most people feel mild pressure or a ticklish sensation, nothing more. The whole process usually takes just a few minutes per ear.
There's no downtime. You can go straight back to your normal day, including driving yourself home. Hearing usually feels clearer right away once the wax is cleared. Some people notice mild, temporary ear sensitivity afterward, which typically settles quickly.
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A hearing aid consultation starts with understanding your hearing, your daily listening challenges, and what you'd like to hear better. If hearing aids are a good fit, the fitting process programs your devices to your hearing test, then adjusts them based on how they sound to you in everyday situations.
You may want a consultation if voices sound muffled, you turn the TV up louder than others prefer, you struggle to follow conversations in noisy places, or people close to you have mentioned you seem to have trouble hearing. In Colorado, hearing aids can only be fit and sold by a licensed hearing care professional.
Your visit starts with a hearing test that measures what you can and can't hear, and in what settings. From there, you'll talk through your options, including different styles and features, based on your results, lifestyle, and budget. If you move forward, your provider takes any measurements needed and orders your devices. Fitting happens at a follow-up visit, where your hearing aids are programmed to your test and adjusted while you're wearing them. You'll try them out before you leave.
There's no recovery involved. Getting used to hearing aids does take some adjustment. Sounds may seem different or louder than expected at first, which is normal as your brain adjusts to picking up sounds it hasn't heard clearly in a while. Most people need a few follow-up visits to fine-tune the settings as they get used to wearing them day to day. Coverage for hearing aids varies by insurance plan, so it's worth checking your benefits ahead of time.
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If you've had spinning episodes, felt off balance, or had trouble with unsteady footing that comes and goes, this testing narrows down where the problem is starting. Balance depends on signals from your inner ear, your eyes, and sensors in your joints and muscles all working together. These tests check each part of that system so your provider can tell whether your inner ear is involved or whether something else is causing your symptoms.
Depending on what your provider is checking, testing may include watching your eye movements while you follow lights or targets, wearing small goggles that track eye motion, or being moved through a series of positions to see how your body reacts. Some of these positional tests are designed to bring on a brief, mild dizzy feeling on purpose, since that reaction is part of what's being measured. It usually passes within a few seconds to a minute. The full appointment typically takes about an hour.
Your provider will go over the results with you. If the testing points to an inner ear cause, treatment options may include specific balance exercises, medication, or further intervention. If the inner ear isn't the source, your provider may refer you to another specialist to keep looking for the cause.
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If conversations have started to feel harder to follow, especially in noisy rooms, or you've noticed ringing or a feeling of fullness in your ears, this test shows exactly what your ears can and can't pick up. It measures your hearing across a range of pitches and volumes, and can also check how well you understand speech, not just sound. This gives your provider a clear picture of where any hearing loss is happening and how significant it is.
The test takes place in a sound treated booth and usually lasts thirty to sixty minutes. You'll wear headphones and respond to a series of tones, usually by pressing a button or raising your hand when you hear a sound. Part of the test may also ask you to repeat words back at different volumes. None of it is painful, and there are no needles or physical contact involved beyond the headphones.
Results are often reviewed with you the same day. If the test finds hearing loss, your provider will explain what type it is and talk through options, which may include hearing aids or further evaluation. If your hearing tests as normal, your provider will look at other possible causes for your symptoms.
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"Dr. Manan Shah has a unique combination of exceptional skill and genuine kindness. He performed my septoplasty to fix a deviated septum, and he also performed balloon dilation of my eustachian tubes. I can breathe and sleep much better, and I can finally pop my left ear after decades of pressure and inability to do so."
"I was very impressed with Dr. Fairmont who treated my sinus symptoms. She was genuinely interested in my care & she recommended new medications and therapies which are covered by my insurance. Also, she was very kind and empathetic."
"This was my first visit. Dr. Sohal has a terrific bedside manner, is very knowledgeable and the care he has for his patients is obvious. He took time to discuss my condition and treatment. And spent time answering my questions. I highly recommend Dr. Sohal!"
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