Imagine waking up one morning and not being able to hear out of one ear, or hearing a sudden, loud “pop” and losing your hearing in that instant. Sounds like scary stuff, right? Unfortunately, it does happen sometimes, often to adults in their late 40s or early 50s. While there are any number of disorders that affect the ear and could cause sudden hearing loss, like head trauma or autoimmune diseases, only about 10% of people can be diagnosed with an actual cause.
What do you do about it? First, it should be treated as a medical emergency. Don’t wait for days to see if your hearing returns. Early diagnosis is important to help minimize damage and hopefully recover your hearing. Roughly 50% of people who experience sudden hearing loss regain their hearing in 1-2 weeks. Of those who visit a doctor, 85% recover some or all of their hearing. Since steroids are commonly used for sudden hearing loss to reduce inflammation and decrease swelling, starting them as soon as possible is recommended, often before test results are back.
In the event the hearing loss is severe or happens in both ears, your doctor may recommend hearing aids. If that happens, our professional experts can help with a patient’s individual needs. Please contact one of our offices to learn how.
