Try this test:. Hum aloud to yourself. With normal hearing, you hear the sound equally in both ears. If you do this when you have a new loss of hearing in one ear, the humming will shift to one side or the other. For example, if your right ear is affected and the hum is louder in that ear, then the hearing loss is more likely a conductive loss, and probably due to blockage from a cold or built-up ear wax.
You can simulate this effect by humming while you cover your right ear. However, if the humming is louder in the left ear, it suggests the right ear hearing loss is due to recent nerve damage, and that requires prompt medical attention. But time is of the essence to save your hearing.
However, even with timely treatment, you may not regain your full hearing. SHL is treated with corticosteroids over a two- to three-week period. You can take the drugs orally or via an injection through the eardrum. Corticosteroid pills, such as prednisone, are taken at the same dose every day for 14 days, and then the dose tapers off for the final week.
Alternatively, ear injections are given twice a week for two weeks. Oral steroids are more comfortable to take but can have side effects like an upset stomach, higher blood pressure, mood swings, and insomnia. Injections generally have no systemic side effects, but they can be uncomfortable, and people have to visit their doctor to get them.
Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. It often comes on gradually as you get older, but it can sometimes happen suddenly. See a GP if you notice any problems with your hearing so you can find out the cause and get advice on treatment. The signs can be slightly different if you only have hearing loss in 1 ear or if a young child has hearing loss. Read more about the signs and symptoms of hearing loss. The GP will ask about your symptoms and look inside your ears using a small handheld torch with a magnifying lens.
They can also do some simple checks of your hearing. After this study, doctors started prescribing direct intratympanic injection of steroids into the middle ear; the medication then flows into the inner ear. The injections can be performed in the offices of many otolaryngologists , and are a good option for people who cannot take oral steroids or want to avoid their side effects.
Steroids should be used as soon as possible for the best effect and may even be recommended before all test results come back. Treatment that is delayed for more than two to four weeks is less likely to reverse or reduce permanent hearing loss. Additional treatments may be needed if your doctor discovers an underlying cause of your SSHL.
For example, if SSHL is caused by an infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If you took drugs that were toxic to the ear, you may be advised to switch to another drug.
If an autoimmune condition caused your immune system to attack the inner ear, the doctor may prescribe drugs that suppress the immune system. For instance, researchers are studying how changes in the inner ear, such as disrupted blood flow or inflammation, may contribute to hearing loss.
Researchers are also testing new ways to use imaging to help diagnose SSHL and potentially detect its causes. NIDCD-funded researchers are also trying to improve ways of dispensing drugs into the inner ear by intratympanic injections. Scientists are developing ways to infuse drugs into tiny microspheres that can slowly release the drug. This would allow doctors to give a single injection of a slow-releasing drug into the ear rather than several injections of a traditional fast-releasing drug.
Another team of scientists is studying the use of magnets to push drug-infused particles into and throughout the inner ear, distributing the drug more evenly and effectively. Repeated or severe infections can cause SSHL that usually clears up after successful treatment of the ear infection.
A sudden blow to the head such as what occurs during a car accident or assault can cause a concussion or other injuries that damage hearing. People can experience SSHL when the auditory system and its pathways sustain damage after the injury or trauma. The most commonly affected parts of the ear are the inner ear and middle ear. The inner ear contains a bundle of sensitive nerve cells called the cochlea. Damage to these cells can cause temporary hearing loss, permanent hearing loss, or tinnitus.
When the blow to the head strikes the middle or outer ear, conductive hearing loss is the most typical result. Mild to moderate trauma to this area resulting in hearing loss usually resolves within a few months with severe trauma could cause permanent hearing loss.
Attending a concert, working with loud machinery, or living in a neighborhood with heavy traffic are just three examples of loud noise exposure that can cause SSHL. Depending on the sound decibel, a temporary threshold shift can occur in the ear canal after one incident or repeated exposure. The human ear typically recovers from noise exposure on its own and normal hearing gradually returns. Among the causes of SSHL, loud noise exposure is among the most common and is likely the most preventable.
People with this condition should have regular audiology visits for symptom management.
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