Sudden deafness, medically termed Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss(SSHL), usually occurs as a sudden, unexplained hearing loss in either one ear or both. 

Sudden hearing loss need not always be sudden, however, & can also occur gradually, until the hearing is completely lost in one or both the ears.

Sudden hearing loss should be considered a medical emergency, needing immediate attention of experts & specialists. 

Most times, people who develop sudden hearing loss hesitate to go to the doctor as they believe it will clear up on its own time. However, this is a dangerous assumption to make & the more you delay your visit to the doctor, the less the treatments of sudden hearing loss will be effective.

Most people who develop sudden hearing loss, do so in only one ear. Rarely enough, however, sudden hearing loss in both the ears is also seen. 

Diagnosis of Sudden Hearing Loss

Sudden hearing loss is diagnosed using a standard hearing test called Pure Tone Audiometry. This test determines if the hearing loss is caused by an obstruction in the path of sound waves like inner ear fluid, ear wax, tumours, etc., or if it is caused by neurological issues. This test can also determine the amount of hearing loss in decibels. 

If the test logs a loss of at least 30 decibels in three connected frequencies, then the patient is diagnosed as suffering from Sudden Hearing Loss. 

To make it clear for the layman reader to understand, a loss of 30 decibels in hearing frequency will make conversations on a regular pitch sound more like a whisper. 

Most people with sudden hearing loss notice the loss of hearing when they wake up in the morning one day. 

Some others, however, discover their hearing loss when they try to use the deafened ear while talking on phones or any other thing. 

Some people with sudden hearing loss also report hearing a loud ‘pop’ like sound just before they notice their hearing loss. 

Often, people who report to hospitals with sudden hearing loss also complain of feeling dizzy & a loud ringing noise in their ears also called tinnitus. 

This happens as a result of the neurological disturbances in the balance centre that is located in the inner ear. When a person experiences sudden hearing loss, their balance centre also gets disoriented, thus leading to sensations of spinning, a loss of balance, & feelings of dizziness. 

Causes of Sudden Hearing Loss

In most cases of Sudden hearing loss, close to approximately 85%, there is no proper identifiable cause. Only about 10-15% of patients with sudden hearing loss have a known cause. 

These known causes of sudden hearing loss include:

• Certain infectious diseases that affect the inner ear

• Trauma from a head injury

• Autoimmune diseases like Cogan’s syndrome

• Taking an overdose of ototoxic drugs, which are drugs that harm the sensory nerves in the inner ear

• Blood circulation issues

• A tumour on the nerve connecting the ear to the brain

• Certain neurological disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, and

• Inner ear diseases like Meniere’s Disease

Treatment of Sudden Hearing Loss

The most common treatment of sudden hearing loss, especially in cases where the cause of the hearing loss is unexplainable, is corticosteroids. 

Steroids are commonly used by medical practitioners to treat various types of disease & disorders. 

Steroids help by reducing inflammation in the body, decreasing swelling, & aiding the body’s immune system to fight back in most cases of viral infections. 

While steroids are usually prescribed in the form of a pill, direct injection based steroids therapy called intratympanic corticosteroid therapy, has also become popular in recent years.

In this, the corticosteroids are injected in liquid format behind the eardrum into the middle ear, where they travel into the inner ear & reduce any inflammation. 

Intratympanic corticosteroid therapy may also be beneficial for patients who are otherwise unable to take oral steroids. 

Depending on your exact diagnosis, your doctor will prescribe an adequate treatment plan that can help restore the sudden hearing loss. 

Trusting the right specialists & experts with your condition is the first step to take in order to help restore your sudden hearing loss. At Vertigo and Ear Clinic, we have a dedicated team of Vertigo & ear specialists that accurately diagnose, treat, & manage your conditions. 

We utilize a slew of innovative technology, experience, & expertise to help make each of our patients’ lives better. 

Learn more about the treatment of sudden hearing loss here. 

Learn more about us here. 

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Vertigo and Ear clinic

October 22, 2020

The subtle look from a brother to his sister in sign of approval, a soft chuckle by a baby during his visit to his grandfather’s house, the song playing somewhere in the background while you walk down the street on a Monday morning. All of these little moments of subtle and sweet happiness happens in the most surprising ways and are there for all the ones who are aware of what is going on around them with open eyes and ears to everything in the surroundings.

Sadly, some of us don’t take the time to realize these things around us, but even worse than that are the ones who want to but can’t. People with hearing disorders tend to lose a lot of details of what goes on around them just for the fact that they can’t hear everything that easily.

That is what we aim to heal and treat here at the Vertigo and Ear clinic. With a specialized team of ENT doctors we strive to help those who want to restore their senses with our hearing aid treatment here in Jaipur.

With it, our patients can overcome their disorders and step by step start to see the changes that their hearing aid treatment have made in their everyday lives. Nothing is easy, but with some effort and patience, we can make every person’s life a little bit better.

Call us -0141-2552350 if you also want to have a hearing aid treatment by a specialized ENT doctor. The results will surely be there in time!

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Vertigo and Ear clinic

August 23, 2014