Death of Sound - Sudden Hearing Loss
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Written by Peter K
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Sunday, 18 January 2009 |
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 Our ears or rather – our sense of hearing is one of the most important things in the world. At the same time, it is also one of the most unappreciated senses in the world. Only when we do lose touch of it do we understand how much we actually rely on it. Now, you might be thinking – I’m not deaf right now and I won’t suddenly turn deaf so why should I care? Well, that is because it is a possibility. You can suddenly lose your hearing. This condition is called ‘Sudden Hearing Loss Syndrome’, ‘Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss‘, or in common terms ‘Sudden Deafness’. It is defined as a sudden loss or an unnoticed decrease in hearing in one or both ears. At times, you might notice a static or ringing noise in your ears or a wave of dizziness before it escalates to this state. As there are many possible reasons for loss in hearing, it is best to note down changes in your level of hearing or any cases of ringing noises and dizzy spells.
Possible causes of Sudden Hearing Loss are obstructions of blood supply for the inner ear, inner ear fluid leaks, or a tumor in the inner ear area. Other situations that may contribute to this are sudden changes in pressure which mostly happens during scuba diving or airplane travel, unusual strains for the ear, previous surgeries concerning the ear area, drugs and antibiotics that are considered toxic to the ears, and acoustic trauma. If you feel that hearing loss is a possibility, or if you’ve already contracted the syndrome, it is best you get an assessment to check it out for you. An assessment for possible hearing failure includes checking family history for previous cases, ENT (ear, nose, and throat) examination, blood tests, and audio (or audiological) evaluation. An audiological evaluation is a way or a test to determine the level of severity, type and the immediate location of the problem (if it is a problem with the middle ear, inner ear, or auditory nerves).
There are many treatments for this kind of problem, mostly depending on the suspected cause of the problem. Possible treatments that you or the patient may go through are medicine intake, and carbogen therapy. It is best you ask for professional advice in these kinds of problems so that a regime may be plotted out to lessen or cure SHL.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 29 May 2009 )
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