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What Can Cause Sudden Hearing Loss In Both Ears

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Expert Chat: What to Know About Sudden Hearing Loss

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Other Types Of Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs if the sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea are damaged, or as a result of damage to the auditory nerve . In some cases, both may be damaged.

Hearing loss caused by age and exposure to loud noises are both types of sensorineural hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss can also be caused by:

  • the genes you inherit some people may be born deaf or become deaf over time because of a genetic abnormality
  • viral infections of the inner ear such as mumps or measles
  • viral infections of the auditory nerve such as mumps or rubella
  • acoustic neuroma a non-cancerous growth on or near the auditory nerve
  • meningitis an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord
  • encephalitis inflammation of the brain
  • multiple sclerosis a neurological condition affecting the central nervous system
  • a head injury
  • malformation of the ear
  • stroke where the blood supply to the brain is cut off or interrupted

Some treatments and medicines, such as radiotherapy for nasal and sinus cancer, certain chemotherapy medicines or certain antibiotics can also damage the cochlea and the auditory nerve, causing sensorineural hearing loss.

People with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease are also at increased risk of hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent and hearing aids are often required to improve hearing in these cases.

Research Studies In Sudden Hearing Loss

Wang et al recently reported that etanercept given acutely in experimental labyrinthitis resulted in much better hearing results . While this animal study may not apply to humans, it suggests that acute treatment with etanercept or a related anti-TNF drug , may improve hearing results for sterile inflammation. See the autoimmune-hearing loss page for more information about these drugs. Of course, a double-blind placebo controlled trial is needed here as well. Practically, the US drug industry has priced these drugs in the nose-bleed range , and it seems unlikely that this information will do anyone much good until these drugs become generic and cheap.

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The Cause Of Sudden Hearing Loss Is Often Unknown

SSNHL differs from other types of hearing loss in a couple of important ways. Aside from its rapid onset, it is often idiopathic, meaning the cause is usually unknown. A cause can be identified in only 10 to 15 percent of diagnosed cases.

Some possible known risk factors and causes include:

  • Bacterial infection
  • Tumors
  • Some drugs can cause hearing loss as a side effect, known as ototoxic medications, especially if taken in high doses
  • Neurologic diseases or disorders
  • Head injury or trauma
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Circulation issues

Muffled Hearing In One Ear After A Cold

4 Common Causes of Sudden Hearing Loss

Even though some people have muffled hearing while sick with the common cold, it can also develop after a cold. This can happen when a cold progresses to a sinus infection or a middle ear infection. In this case, drainage or congestion from these secondary infections causes clogged ears.

Common treatment options for muffled hearing include:

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Hearing Loss In One Ear

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss may vary from mild to severe and usually affects only one side . This type of hearing loss occurs over a short period, within a few hours or sometimes almost instantaneously. In most cases of sudden loss of hearing, the condition may spontaneously resolve with a partial or complete return of the hearing. In cases where the hearing loss resolves, it usually occurs within 10 to 14 days.

Treatment Of Sudden Hearing Loss

To treat sudden hearing loss, time is of the essence: the earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis. In a best-case scenario, the sudden hearing loss is treated by an ENT specialist or at an ENT clinic within the first 24 hours. The treatment includes the stimulation of the inner ears circulation and the elimination of possible triggers. Here are the most common forms of treatment, in the event of sudden hearing loss:

The administration of circulation-enhancing medicationIn the event of sudden hearing loss, the inner ears blood circulation is reduced or impaired. Blood supplies the inner ear with the required nutrients. If circulation is inhibited, the sensory hair cells of the ear are permanently damaged. Circulation can be improved with the administration of circulation-enhancing medication, which can also include cortisone to prevent any swelling .

Treatment with local anesthesia to block inhibited nervesThe local anesthetics procaine and lidocaine are frequently used to treat sudden hearing loss . Their administration blocks nerves that potentially lead to vascular constriction. This treatment should always occur under a doctors clinical observation.

Treatment in an oxygen pressure chamberAnother treatment option is hyperbaric oxygen therapy . This is a good method of treatment, but according to the criteria of evidence-based medicine, it may not be the most effective.

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What Causes Tinnitus In Both Ears Author: Admin

You might be wondering whether you have tinnitus and, if so, if this is something that there can be a solution to. Firstly, the answer is yes. If you are experiencing tinnitus in one or both ears, then it can be an upsetting and stressful condition. Before looking at causes and treatments, what is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound that has no external source. It can take the form of a buzzing or a ringing in one or both ears. It can also seem to generally be in the head region, but difficult to locate or determine exactly where it seems to originate from. It is a subjective noise and can only be heard by the person experiencing tinnitus. It might be different types of sound, or you might hear only one kind. What separates tinnitus from other hearing-related conditions is that it is only the person experiencing tinnitus who can hear it. It might be a humming, buzzing, whooshing or a ringing sound and could be in one or both ears and not always simultaneously if experienced in both.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact causes of tinnitus, although it usually occurs as a symptom of an underlying condition. Some of the causes of tinnitus might be:

Symptoms Of Severe Hearing Loss

Sudden Hearing Loss in One Ear | The Head Shadow Effect

If you lose hearing, either suddenly or over time, details of conversations may become fuzzy. Sounds will become muffled and gradually fade.

Depending on the cause of your hearing loss, you may also have:

  • Pain in one or both ears
  • Ringing in the ears, called tinnitus
  • Pressure or fullness in one or both ears

Often, people with severe hearing loss withdraw from their social lives because they’re embarrassed to ask family and friends to repeat themselves over and over again. They might be afraid they’ll misunderstand a conversation and answer with the wrong comments. Learn more about what causes hearing loss.

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An Ent Can Help Get To The Bottom Of The Problem

If a primary care or urgent care provider doesnt see any signs of blockage or infection in the ear that could be causing sudden hearing loss, the next step is quick referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

The ENTspecialist will want to rule out anything else that could be causing thesymptoms and give a hearing test.

Many of these patients would not have a baseline hearingtest for comparison, but in those circumstances, what were mostly looking foris asymmetry, or a difference between the two ears, Dr. Woodson explains.

They may also order an MRI to rule out other problems, such as benign tumors that form on the hearing and balance nerves. These are called acoustic neuromas. These are uncommon tumors, but this is the way they tend to pop up first, with sudden hearing loss, Dr. Woodson says.

If SSNHL is determined to be the culprit for the hearingloss, the next step is steroid therapy to reduce inflammation in the inner ear.This typically starts with oral treatment , but depending on thesituation and the patient, injection of steroids into the ear drum could alsobe an option.

Hearing Health Clinic Osseo Mn

Pressure in ear is a common condition because of altitude changes, allergies, or colds. You can usually treat the causes at home through swallowing to pop your ears or by taking OTC medications. However, if you find that your symptoms are persisting or getting worse with at-home treatment, its high time to see a doctor.

If you are in Osseo, MN and need to go to a hearing clinic for pressure in ear and other hearing-related concerns, visit us at Hearing Health Clinic. Call us now for an appointment.

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How Is Sudden Hearing Loss Diagnosed

Tests worth considering in SHL

  • Audiometric testing including pure tone and speech audiometry, otoacoustic emissions , and tympanometry. If OAE’s are present, prognosis is better .
  • MRI testing of the brain and IAC, Brain MRI testing detects tumors as well as CSF leak, and stroke.Tumors, such as an acoustic neuroma, can even cause SHL that resolves completely . Lawrence and Thevasagayam suggested that MRI should be carried out in “all cases of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss”. MRI testing is not always ordered — in fact, only about half the time . That does seem somewhat routine to us. In our opinion, MRI is not always necessary as one must consider availability, severity of the situation, and follow-up. In other words, it is naive to say that any test should be done “always” or “never”. Acoustic neurinomas are found in 3-5% of patients with “idiopathic” SHL.
  • More general tests that may be useful include CBC, sed-rate, and FTA or RPR/VDRL . All of these blood tests might affect treatment and prognosis.

Tests worthwhile in special cases

  • hemoglobin electrophoresis , of course this is mainly found in persons of African descent.
  • electrolytes
  • comprehensive metabolic screen.
  • Lyme test. . If positive, this might affect treatment, but the odds are tiny outside of Lyme endemic areas.
  • CT scan of the temporal bone. .

Tests unlikely to be helpful

General Signs Of Hearing Loss

Causes of Rapid Hearing Loss and Sudden Deafness

Early signs of hearing loss can include:

  • difficulty hearing other people clearly and misunderstanding what they say, especially in group situations
  • asking people to repeat themselves
  • listening to music or watching television with the volume higher than other people need
  • difficulty hearing the telephone or doorbell
  • finding it difficult to tell which direction noise is coming from
  • regularly feeling tired or stressed, from having to concentrate while listening

In some cases, you may recognise signs of hearing loss in someone else before they notice it themselves. Research suggests it takes 10 years from the time someone notices they have hearing loss, before they do anything about it.

If you also hear a ringing, buzzing or whistling sound in your ears, this could be a sign of tinnitus, which is often associated with hearing loss.

Read more about losing your hearing

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Treatments For Hearing Loss

Hearing loss sometimes gets better on its own, or may be treated with medicine or a simple procedure. For example, earwax can be sucked out, or softened with eardrops.

But other types such as gradual hearing loss, which often happens as you get older may be permanent. In these cases, treatment can help make the most of the remaining hearing. This may involve using:

  • hearing aids several different types are available on the NHS or privately
  • implants devices that are attached to your skull or placed deep inside your ear, if hearing aids are not suitable
  • different ways of communicating such as sign language or lip reading

What About The Vaccines

So far, data from the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System does not indicate any link between vaccination and sudden hearing loss. The rate of sudden hearing loss appears to actually be lower among vaccinated people, though researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine say cases could be under-reported. Their results were published in May 2021 in a research letter in the medical journal JAMA OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery.

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Tinnitus Causes: What Causes Ringing In The Ears

Tinnitus is a very common condition and is believed to affect around 300 million people in the world. In simple terms, it is the hearing of sounds that have no external source, and it is usually a symptom of an underlying condition. Tinnitus can appear suddenly or increase in severity over time. In many cases, treating the underlying issue can result in an improvement in terms of the unfounded noises. This treatment can take many forms, from the use of hearing aids to taking antibiotics to treat infections or adding tinnitus-fighting Vitamins to your diet.

The Causes Of Sudden Hearing Loss

Clogged Ears Due to EARWAX or MEDICAL EMERGENCY? | Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL)

Our knowledge concerning the reasons for hearing loss is limited. Notwithstanding this limitation, one possible reason has to do with circulatory disorders in the smallest vessels of the inner ear . Other contributing factors include:

  • Stress
  • Viral infections or reactivations
  • Arteriosclerosis and subsequent circulatory disorders
  • Metabolic disorders such as diabetes or high cholesterol levels
  • A ruptured oval or round window
  • Cervical spine injury
  • Elevated platelet aggregation
  • Occlusion of the inner ears vessels
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Previous acute otitis media
  • We can assume that there are additional causes for the occurrence of sudden hearing loss, which are frequently discussed by specialists and experts.

    Sudden idiopathic hearing lossIdiopathic means without recognizable cause. This is the most common and sudden type of hearing loss. Extensive examination cannot determine an organic cause.

    Stress-related sudden hearing lossStress is a frequent trigger for sudden hearing loss. It is assumed that the stress hormone adrenaline causes the small vessels to become narrower. The exact pathogenesis i.e. the creation process of sudden hearing loss is unknown. If you have suffered sudden hearing loss, it is imperative that you learn to reduce your level of stress in your daily activities so that you can better cope with demanding situations. Regular exercise can also be helpful in eliminating stress.

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Hearing Loss Causes Of Deafness In One Or Both Ears

Posted by Dr. Chris

Hearing loss may be partial or complete . Conditions affecting the outer ear and middle ear may affect the conduction of sound and is therefore known as conductive hearing loss. Another type of impairment is sensorineural hearing loss, which affects the conversion of mechanical sounds waves into electrical impulses which is then transmitted to the brain. This occurs in the inner ear.

In people of all ages, noise-induced hearing loss and earwax are the main causes of hearing loss, which is usually partial. In the elderly, age results in degenerative changes that may lead to hearing loss which is known as presbycusis .

Symptoms Of Bilateral Hearing Loss

The symptoms of a bilateral hearing loss are reduced hearing in both ears.

A bilateral hearing loss can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical. When it is symmetrical, the hearing loss is about the same in both ears. When it is asymmetrical the one ear hears better than the other, but in both cases there is a hearing loss in both ears.

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What Does Sudden Hearing Loss Feel Like

You may lose your hearing all at once. Or it may take a few days to develop. In general, the condition involves a loss of hearing that happens over 72 hours or less.

Nine out of 10 people lose hearing in one ear. You may still hear some sounds out of the affected ear, but theyll be softer. For example, a normal speaking voice may sound like a whisper.

Some people first notice hearing loss when they try to talk on the phone with the affected ear. Others hear a loud pop right before their hearing goes away.

More symptoms often happen. Dizziness and ringing in the ears are common. You may also feel pressure in your ear.

How Is Sudden Deafness Treated

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

The most common treatment for sudden deafness, especially when the cause is unknown, is corticosteroids. Steroids can treat many disorders and usually work by reducing inflammation, decreasing swelling, and helping the body fight illness. Previously, steroids were given in pill form. In 2011, a clinical trial supported by the NIDCD showed that intratympanic injection of steroids was as effective as oral steroids. 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.

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