04/06/2021
What is a hearing loss emergency?!
Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a devastating hearing loss emergency that is a sudden change in hearing..usually on one side, usually without any obvious trigger or cause. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, permanent hearing loss can result.
Symptoms can include sudden onset of hearing changes, ringing in the ears, or fullness/clogged sensation.
Diagnosis is made with a history, physical exam and hearing test.
Treatment usually includes high dose oral steroids, an injection of steroids through the eardrum or both and is ideally started as soon as symptoms start. Further imaging to rule out other causes may also be needed.
If you swipe, you will see pre and post-treatment hearing tests of a patient with a sudden onset of significant hearing changes and the inability to understand ANY words presented to that ear. With treatment started right away, the patient had near total recovery of hearing within a couple of weeks!!
If you have new onset of abrupt hearing loss.. DO NOT WAIT, GET SEEN TODAY!
@ ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP