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What is it about ?
Sudden hearing loss with no apparent cause (sudden idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss) is always a medical emergency. It is a sudden hearing loss of more than 30 dB (the dB, or decibel, is the unit of measurement of sound) on at least 3 contiguous frequencies occurring over a period of more than 3 days.
In most cases, hearing loss only affects one ear. Just over 1 in 2 (65%) people with this condition recover on their own. In others, hearing loss is permanent. The more severe the deafness in the beginning, the greater the risk of permanent hearing loss.
There is no clearly established cause for the onset of this sudden deafness. Viral infections, autoimmune diseases, disorders in the cells of the cochlea (part of the inner ear) and blood vessel abnormalities can be responsible.
Sometimes the cause of hearing loss is clear: a Cork in the outer ear which blocks sound waves, a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum during otitis media, some drugs (chemotherapy drugs, water pills, high doses of aspirin) and some tumors.
What is its frequency?
Sudden hearing loss without an obvious cause is not very common. Each year, the condition is diagnosed in about 8 to 15 in 100,000 people.
How to recognize it?
You suddenly experience hearing loss in just one ear. Some people also have a feeling of fullness in the ear, dizziness or some ringing in the ears.
How is the diagnosis made?
If you have these complaints, the doctor will examine you thoroughly and assess all possible causes of hearing loss (plug, inflammation, etc.).
To determine the nature of the hearing loss, he may do tuning fork tests. He then places a tuning fork in the middle of your head and behind your ear. You must then indicate which side you hear the sound best from.
The severity of hearing loss is estimated using a tone audiogram. This is a hearing test that measures your perception of sounds (frequency and power).
If necessary, the doctor will also order a scan of the hearing instrument and / or the brain.
What can you do ?
As the cause is not fully known, we cannot provide specific advice on how to avoid sudden hearing loss. If sudden hearing loss occurs, it is essential to seek medical advice immediately! Starting treatment quickly is very important to limit damage to the inner ear as much as possible.
After the treatment, make sure you get enough rest. Protect your hearing from excessive noise pollution and wear special earplugs or headphones.
What can your doctor do?
If it is a sudden hearing loss, the doctor will start treatment as soon as possible. Unfortunately, treatment has little effect if started 4 weeks or more after the onset of symptoms.
The standard treatment is always a high dose of cortisone. In some cases, a hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered. Then a good follow-up is enough.
The doctor may not allow you to fly and / or dive for a period of time.
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