What term refers to hearing impairment that is present on only one side?

The term that refers to hearing impairment present on only one side is "unilateral." Unilateral hearing loss occurs when an individual has normal hearing in one ear and hearing loss in the other. This can impact communication and social interactions, as it can make it difficult for a person to localize sounds and process auditory information effectively. Understanding and recognizing unilateral hearing loss is important for appropriate intervention and support in both clinical and therapeutic settings.

Other terms can refer to different conditions; for example, "bilateral" refers to hearing impairment in both ears, while "partial" typically denotes incomplete hearing loss rather than specifying the side affected. "Asymmetric" describes differences in hearing levels between the two ears but does not specifically indicate that one ear is unaffected, making it less precise for this context compared to "unilateral."