Sudden Onset Hearing Loss: A Medical Emergency
Imagine waking up one morning to find that the world around you has grown strangely silent. Sounds that were once clear and crisp now feel muffled and distant. This scenario, known as sudden onset hearing loss, can be a frightening and disorienting experience. In this blog post, we'll explore what sudden onset hearing loss entails, why seeking medical help promptly is crucial, and the potential causes and treatment options available.
Understanding Sudden Onset Hearing Loss
Sudden hearing loss should be treated as a medical emergency. It’s crucial not to miss the boat for urgent treatment and not to mistake it for congestion. As you can imagine the sudden loss of a vital sense can be absolutely devastating and even more so because it tends to affect fit and well young people out of the blue and furthermore we may not even be able to prove the cause.
There are two broad types of sudden onset hearing loss but generally the type that causes the most harm is sudden sensori-neural hearing loss, rather than conductive hearing loss. Your GP or ENT doctor can use a tuning fork to distinguish between sensori-neural and conductive hearing loss that congestion usually causes but you can check yourself using the ‘hum test’; if you hum and you hear the sound louder in the opposite ear that's been affected then that should trigger the alarm that this is a sensory neural hearing loss emergency.
Sudden onset sensori-neural hearing loss affects approximately 5 to 20 people in every 100,000, so you're very likely to at least heard of or know someone that this is happened to. While the exact cause of sudden hearing loss is often unclear, potential factors may include viral infections, autoimmune disorders, head trauma, or vascular issues. However what we do know is that the hope of rescue and recovery is to give steroid treatment as early as possible.
Taking Action: What to Do If You Experience Sudden Hearing Loss
If you experience sudden onset hearing loss, here are steps you can take to ensure timely intervention:
Seek Medical Help Immediately: Attend your local A&E service and ask for the on-call ENT specialist as soon as possible to schedule an evaluation. Even if the symptoms seem mild or transient, prompt assessment is essential.
Avoid Delaying Treatment: Resist the temptation to wait and see if the symptoms improve on their own. Early intervention maximises the chances of successful recovery and minimises the risk of permanent damage.
Document Symptoms: Keep track of any accompanying symptoms, changes in hearing, or factors that may have triggered the onset of hearing loss. This information can help guide the diagnostic process and inform treatment decisions.
Remember, you are not alone in navigating sudden onset hearing loss. By taking proactive steps and seeking timely medical attention, you can increase the likelihood of a positive outcome and regain control over your auditory health.
