Sudden Sensorineural hearing loss
Understanding it and how to properly treat it
If you have recently suffered from Sudden Sensorineural hearing loss please CLICK HERE link to learn about an exciting new hearing loss treatment called
The Hearing Fix
Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss ( SSHL ) is defined as a hearing loss of at least 30 dB at three frequencies that are connected, occurring over a period up to three days, many times even within hours. The majority of the time only one ear is effected and may be first noticed upon waking or when using the affected ear alone, as when on the phone. A popping sound may accompany the sudden loss, sometimes even experiencing vertigo and tinnitus.
Every year, SSHL affects up to 1 in 5000 people, or up to 60000 a year in the United States alone. Sudden Sensorineural hearing loss most often occurs in adults aged 30-60, although it happens in children and older adults as well. For more information please click on our Sudden Hearing Loss page as well as our Sensorineural Hearing Loss page.
Getting to Know Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is a medical condition described as a rapid loss of hearing and is also commonly referred to as sudden deafness. Determining exactly what causes sudden deafness and which treatments are most effective is still a work in progress. This medical condition can come on suddenly with no warning or progress over a period of about three days. Doctors consider this type of condition a medical emergency and advise anyone suffering from it to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Though cause and treatment of SSHL have yet to be precisely established, doctors can definitively determine whether or not a person is suffering from the condition. A simple, normal hearing test is administered by measuring sound in decibels and frequency. A person with normal hearing hears at about 60 decibels. Someone with SSHL hears at 30 decibels. Frequency measures sound waves and is what helps us to differentiate one sound from the next. Most people with SSHL are only affected by the condition in one ear, so hearing is still possible, but not as clear. Statistics show this is true in 9 out of 10 people.
There are two instances in which the person being affected first notices SSHL. In the first instance, people hear a loud buzz or popping in the ear immediately before deafness occurs. The second instance usually involves the person waking with a loss of hearing or noticing it for the first time while trying to initiate a phone call. Most experience some dizziness or ringing in the ear prior to losing hearing.
Many patients never know exactly what caused their sudden sensorineural hearing loss. There are over 100 possible causes of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and seldom is a specific cause identified. According to a majority of doctors, roughly 10 – 15% of those suffering with SSHL know the definitive cause of their condition. For the other percentage of patients, diagnosis is usually based on their medical history.
What causes SSHL varies. In some cases, the condition has been linked to Menieres disease or other similar disorders. Multiple sclerosis and similar neurological disorders correlate to SSHL as well as immunologic diseases (i.e. Cogan’s syndrome). Other possible causes include infectious diseases, trauma sustained to the body including the head, circulatory issues and abnormal tissue growth. Some SSHL cases are associated with toxic or drug-related causes such as snakebites and ototoxic drugs that are harmful to the ear. Sudden deafness has also been attributed to some viral infections and autoimmune disease.
Researchers are working on the theory that hearing loss may be attributed to a lack of blood flow in the ear as well as poor air flow. This theory is based on the thought that if the inner ear does not receive a healthy dose of oxygen or blood flow, hearing becomes impaired or is blocked all together.
The best sudden sensorineural hearing loss treatment begins at the first sign hearing has been lost. Chances of recovering from SSHL are greatly influenced by how quickly treatment begins. Patients are not encouraged to wait and see if their hearing will return on its own. This can lessen the chance of ever hearing out of that ear again. There are several treatments associated with SSHL, but we believe that it is clear that The Hearing Fix is the best hearing loss treatment available for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.