Any sudden hearing loss, especially in one ear, should be treated as a medical emergency. Prompt medical attention by a primary physician, urgent care or ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) can improve your chances of regaining hearing.
What is Sudden Deafness?
Sudden deafness, or sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), is a rapid loss of hearing, most frequently in only one ear, for no evident reason. It may happen instantly or over a few days. Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency. Although many people experiencing sudden deafness recover, rapid treatment is crucial.
Studies show that SSHL affects one of every 5,000 U.S. adults annually, typically in their late 40s through early 60s. This is about 66,000 people per year—although there may be many more unreported cases.
Symptoms of sudden deafness
Someone experiencing SSHL may experience:
- Diminished hearing right after a loud, startling pop or gong-like sound in one ear
- Noticeable sudden hearing loss upon waking
- Sudden difficulty hearing on a phone call
- Sounds might still be audible, but with much lower volume in the affected ear
- Normal speaking voices may be heard as a whisper
- Dizziness, pressure and ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Causes of sudden deafness
In some cases, sudden hearing loss may be caused by a temporary blockage, such as accumulated earwax or congestion from allergies, a sinus infection or the common cold. This would be classified as a conductive, not sensorineural, hearing loss.
Most often, SSHL is idiopathic (of unknown origin). About 10-15% of cases have a known cause, which may include:
- Certain infectious diseases
- Head injury or trauma
- Autoimmune diseases like Cogan’s syndrome and others
- Ototoxic drugs (medications that damage the inner ear)
- Circulation issues
- An auditory nerve tumor (acoustic neuroma)
- Neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis
- Ménière’s disease or other vestibular disorders
Hearing loss may also be among the symptoms of a stroke, meningitis or other serious condition. More recent research is investigating hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes as possible risk factors.
How is sudden deafness diagnosed?
A primary or urgent care doctor may first look inside your ear canal for problems like fluid or wax buildup. If those causes are ruled out, you will likely be referred to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist, or ENT). This doctor may administer a pure tone audiometry test, which is a hearing exam that plays different tones through a headset to identify a sensory issue and determine the severity of a hearing loss.
Additional diagnostic testing may also include balance tests, an MRI or a blood draw.
How is sudden deafness treated?
Sudden hearing loss with an identifiable cause is typically treatable. For example, compacted earwax can be removed in a doctor’s office, or an ear infection can be treated with antibiotics. For serious cases of SSHL, about 50 percent of people tend to recover some or all their hearing spontaneously within one to two weeks.
The sooner you’re treated, the higher the chance of preserving your hearing. In fact, 85 percent of those who get treated promptly by an otolaryngologist are able to regain some or most of their hearing.
The most common and effective treatment for SSHL is steroid therapy, a course of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and promote healing. These may be administered orally or through shots into the ear itself. People who do not recover all or part of their hearing may need to consider hearing aids or even a cochlear implant.