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Recurring Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
I first discovered SSHL in June 2021 in my right ear when audio in my ear felt little strange when listening using ear plug headphones. I went to an ENT and he got me tested with Audiometry & Impedance based on which the ENT advised mild rising sensorineural hearing loss. I was put onto medication- Diamox (250mg) for 4 weeks.
Post the diagnosis Audiometry was conducted again but there was no improvement so the ENT adviced that nothing much can be done it is natural loss and told me to get retested in 6 months to check if the situation worsens to go for MRI.
In Dec 2021 I woke up one day with almost no hearing in the same ear (right ear) and went to different ENT who got my Audiometry tested which said I had moderately severe mixed hearing loss. The ENT then put me on steroids (Deflazacort) for 5 weeks with decreased potency of medicine for every week along with Vertin 16mg (thrice daily and Micronutrients). He also got me checked with brain MRI to rule out any growth/tumor in brain, the MRI came out fine with no growth(consulted a neurologist as well who ruled out any neurological issue). 5 weeks after my steroid course my condition improved significantly and my audiometry test showed only low frequency hearing loss.
But in Mar 2022 I have again started developing hearing loss in the same right ear (yesterday my audiometry test shows mixed hearing loss in right ear.
The ENT again got my Impedance test done and it came out fine, further he has put on steroids again and is consulting other doctors as well to understand the issue since he feels it should not have recurred after first steroid shot, he feels it could either me auto-immune disorder or he thinks he might do a procedure to check if there is fluid loss from beneath the ear drum, the procedure will involve lifting the ear drum and checking it.
It is my humble appeal if anyone who has faced similar issue can help me for more insights because I feel since recovery after steroids is not lasting I might lose hearing forever in my right ear or worse if it is an auto-immune disorder it might spread to other areas as well.
I would be willing to share any other details if required.
Thanks in advance!
Post the diagnosis Audiometry was conducted again but there was no improvement so the ENT adviced that nothing much can be done it is natural loss and told me to get retested in 6 months to check if the situation worsens to go for MRI.
In Dec 2021 I woke up one day with almost no hearing in the same ear (right ear) and went to different ENT who got my Audiometry tested which said I had moderately severe mixed hearing loss. The ENT then put me on steroids (Deflazacort) for 5 weeks with decreased potency of medicine for every week along with Vertin 16mg (thrice daily and Micronutrients). He also got me checked with brain MRI to rule out any growth/tumor in brain, the MRI came out fine with no growth(consulted a neurologist as well who ruled out any neurological issue). 5 weeks after my steroid course my condition improved significantly and my audiometry test showed only low frequency hearing loss.
But in Mar 2022 I have again started developing hearing loss in the same right ear (yesterday my audiometry test shows mixed hearing loss in right ear.
The ENT again got my Impedance test done and it came out fine, further he has put on steroids again and is consulting other doctors as well to understand the issue since he feels it should not have recurred after first steroid shot, he feels it could either me auto-immune disorder or he thinks he might do a procedure to check if there is fluid loss from beneath the ear drum, the procedure will involve lifting the ear drum and checking it.
It is my humble appeal if anyone who has faced similar issue can help me for more insights because I feel since recovery after steroids is not lasting I might lose hearing forever in my right ear or worse if it is an auto-immune disorder it might spread to other areas as well.
I would be willing to share any other details if required.
Thanks in advance!
Hi, just saw your message & wanted to share with you that I too have suffered a second episode in the same ear (left), 3 years after the first one. This latest one was a sudden loud high pitched PING noise in my ear which has left me now without low & medium frequencies hearing (first one only high frequencies) so I now have profound hearing loss & awful tinnitus in my left ear. Steroids did nothing to help. Had blood tests to check for autoimmune disease which I'm waiting results for & hoping/ praying it's not positive. Terrified of losing hearing in my other ear too. I declined the MRI scan as I remember the continuous loud banging for 45 mins & I don't want to jeopardise my right ear hearing which is all I rely on now to hear. Risk of it being a tumour is low so I assessed the risk outweighed benefit.
Not sure if this helps, but I was interested in your case as I too was wondering how common or rare it is to have multiple episodes of sudden hearing loss.
All the best.
Not sure if this helps, but I was interested in your case as I too was wondering how common or rare it is to have multiple episodes of sudden hearing loss.
All the best.
4 Comments
Hi, Sorry to hear about this. But my part of the story is my auto immune tests came negative, MRI to check tumor came negative as well. A very experienced doctor then suspected peripheral fitsula and did an exploratory surgery by lifting ear drum and found tear in round window membrane.
Now this type of tear is usually in case of severe accident which I never had or sudden changes in pressure in activities such as sky diving, which is something I have never done as well.
He took fat samples, in the same surgery, from my ear lobe and placed it onto the holes.
As the ear drum cannot be stitches I had to just take rest for one month without sleeping on the ear side which got operated, no sudden head movement or sneezing.
The doctor tried his best but unfortunately that did not work too. It's been over 15 months now and I can barely hear from the ear with constant white noise.
I tried homeopathic medicines for over 6 months but did not help too.
Now I have adjusted to life with one ear and the anxiety of loosing hearing in other ear has considerably reduced over the years.
Hope this helps in a sense that like you I am in same boat.
What I did dig up over internet is that many cases over world have been reported since corona vaccine, I took 2 covishield shots and incidentally both my hearing loss incidences happened after 1 month of the vaccine dose.
I never took any other corona vaccine shot. :(
Now this type of tear is usually in case of severe accident which I never had or sudden changes in pressure in activities such as sky diving, which is something I have never done as well.
He took fat samples, in the same surgery, from my ear lobe and placed it onto the holes.
As the ear drum cannot be stitches I had to just take rest for one month without sleeping on the ear side which got operated, no sudden head movement or sneezing.
The doctor tried his best but unfortunately that did not work too. It's been over 15 months now and I can barely hear from the ear with constant white noise.
I tried homeopathic medicines for over 6 months but did not help too.
Now I have adjusted to life with one ear and the anxiety of loosing hearing in other ear has considerably reduced over the years.
Hope this helps in a sense that like you I am in same boat.
What I did dig up over internet is that many cases over world have been reported since corona vaccine, I took 2 covishield shots and incidentally both my hearing loss incidences happened after 1 month of the vaccine dose.
I never took any other corona vaccine shot. :(
Sorry but misspelled 'Perilymphatic Fistula' with 'peripheral fitsula', due to auto correct :) @blackbird1
Hi there, thanks for your reply & sorry to hear the procedure you underwent didn't work. But at least good news that the autoimmune tests & MRI scan came back negative. We live & hope that one day someone will find a way to treat & repair hearing loss, which seems from my experience is one of those medical ailments that is not taken as seriously as it should. As for covid vaccines, I had 4 jabs & nothing adverse occurred.
If I can trouble you for one more thing. I don't know if you fly. If you do, have you flown since your hearing loss & if so, what was your experience? I have been putting off flying for fear of potentially also losing hearing in my other ear as a result. I know air pressure & sudden sensorineural hearing loss are different things affecting different parts of the ear system, nevertheless I am nervous to expose my hearing to any potential danger. The consultants I asked tell me it won't be an issue but I would have more confidence in hearing feedback from someone who has the same/ similar condition as me so would be interested in your thoughts on this. Thanks.
If I can trouble you for one more thing. I don't know if you fly. If you do, have you flown since your hearing loss & if so, what was your experience? I have been putting off flying for fear of potentially also losing hearing in my other ear as a result. I know air pressure & sudden sensorineural hearing loss are different things affecting different parts of the ear system, nevertheless I am nervous to expose my hearing to any potential danger. The consultants I asked tell me it won't be an issue but I would have more confidence in hearing feedback from someone who has the same/ similar condition as me so would be interested in your thoughts on this. Thanks.
Long Story Short: Find YouTubeVideo titled Dangers of Root Canal video. This is the video I watched just today and will definitely have myself checked out again. Very good info and educ. from this video! Dr Rouzita Rashtian, DDS
My story started backApril2014 (age 51) woke up, dizzy, nauseous, and quickly went back to sleep. Within a few hours, woke up and started throwing up. Immediately sought treatment, testing, MRI, cardiologist, neurologist, you name it. Diagnosis SSDHS with 24/7 tinnitus. We tried hearing aids in hopes of getting some improvement. Single sided deafness with very loud tinnitus 24/7. Told by ENT doctor this was my NEW NORMAL. Fast forward: To this day 2/21/24,(now age 63) I have on and off looked for answers, never wanting to give up on finding out the cause. Today I happened to be on my smart TV scanning YouTube videos (wasn't looking for what I found), when I saw a video on Root Canals and body illnesses. Loss of hearing and tinnitus were right at top of list. I have had extensive dental work all of my life. Multiple Root canals with one known failed root canal that showed an abscess. This root canal was done by another dentist at least 10 years earlier if not longer. Point is Root canals are a big deal and can cause other problems in the body years later. Definitely worth looking in to.
My story started backApril2014 (age 51) woke up, dizzy, nauseous, and quickly went back to sleep. Within a few hours, woke up and started throwing up. Immediately sought treatment, testing, MRI, cardiologist, neurologist, you name it. Diagnosis SSDHS with 24/7 tinnitus. We tried hearing aids in hopes of getting some improvement. Single sided deafness with very loud tinnitus 24/7. Told by ENT doctor this was my NEW NORMAL. Fast forward: To this day 2/21/24,(now age 63) I have on and off looked for answers, never wanting to give up on finding out the cause. Today I happened to be on my smart TV scanning YouTube videos (wasn't looking for what I found), when I saw a video on Root Canals and body illnesses. Loss of hearing and tinnitus were right at top of list. I have had extensive dental work all of my life. Multiple Root canals with one known failed root canal that showed an abscess. This root canal was done by another dentist at least 10 years earlier if not longer. Point is Root canals are a big deal and can cause other problems in the body years later. Definitely worth looking in to.
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