Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Treatment Within 7 Days as 80% to 90% Also Trigger Tinnitus
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 23
Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Treatment Within 7 Days as 80% to 90% Also Trigger Tinnitus
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 23
Summary
Treatment within 7 days gives patients the best chance to recover from sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a rapid decline that can appear all at once or over several days.
Ear fullness, muffled or underwater sound, a loud pop, one-sided ringing and dizziness can all signal the condition, which is often mistaken for wax, allergies, a cold or an ear infection.
High-dose oral prednisone is the standard first treatment, while steroid injections through the eardrum or hyperbaric oxygen may follow if hearing does not fully return.
About 80% to 90% of patients also develop tinnitus, and roughly 90% of cases have no identified cause despite theories including viral injury, inflammation, immune response or disrupted cochlear blood flow.
ENTs or audiologists can confirm the diagnosis, and experts say patients who cannot get an urgent appointment may need the ER because delays can leave permanent hearing loss.