Suddenly losing your hearing, known as Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), is a medical emergency that needs immediate attention from a doctor, as causes range from simple earwax blockage or infection to serious issues like autoimmune diseases, circulation problems, or nerve tumors, with timely treatment improving the chance of recovery. Common culprits include fluid, earwax, infections, head trauma, medications, autoimmune disorders, or issues with blood flow to the inner ear.
Sudden hearing loss can be an indication of an underlying medical condition, such as Meniere's disease (a disruption of the fluid balance in the inner ear), autoimmune inner ear disease (when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues of your inner ear), or a tumor of the hearing nerve (acoustic neuroma).
Sudden sensorineural (“inner ear”) hearing loss (SSHL), commonly known as sudden deafness, is an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days. SSHL happens because there is something wrong with the sensory organs of the inner ear. Sudden deafness frequently affects only one ear.
Most often, SSHL is idiopathic (of unknown origin). About 10-15% of cases have a known cause, which may include: Certain infectious diseases. Head injury or trauma.
Common causes are: colds, flu, viruses or even swimmer's ear, all of which can affect the middle ear and therefore create muffled hearing.
As the tumor grows, symptoms may become more noticeable or may worsen. Common signs and symptoms of an acoustic neuroma include: Hearing loss, usually gradually over months to years. In rare cases, hearing loss can be sudden.
Recognizing the Sensation of Muffled Hearing
You may also feel fullness in the ear, along with symptoms like tinnitus, dizziness or general discomfort. This issue can arise suddenly or develop gradually, and it might last a few hours, several days or longer depending on what's causing it.
The primary indicator of an ear stroke is a rapid loss of hearing in one ear, but other symptoms often accompany it. These may include a feeling of fullness in the ear, dizziness, vertigo and tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound. Some people might also feel off-balance or experience nausea.
If the hearing loss developed suddenly (over 3 days or less) within the past 30 days this needs to be assessed urgently in primary care to establish if the cause is conductive or sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). SSNHL is a medical emergency and needs urgent referral and input from ENT.
A number of infections cause sudden hearing loss during or immediately after acute illness. These infections include bacterial meningitis, Lyme disease, and many viral infections. The most common viral causes in the developed world are mumps and herpes simplex brain infection.
Truth is, it is quite difficult to know for certain whether someone is starting to experience signs of hearing loss or earwax build-up. However, usually any feeling of aural fullness or a crackling sound may be indicative of earwax build up and not hearing loss.
Trouble understanding words, especially when in a crowd or a noisy place. Trouble hearing the letters of the alphabet that aren't vowels. Often asking others to speak more slowly, clearly and loudly. Needing to turn up the volume of the television or radio.
What are the symptoms of hearing loss?
Damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve that causes permanent hearing loss. Can be caused by aging, loud noise, medication, genetics or medical conditions like Meniere's disease or otosclerosis.
If you believe you may have had a sudden hearing loss, it is strongly recommended to go to your nearest emergency room or call your ear, nose, and throat physician for an immediate, urgent appointment.
A sudden loss of hearing over a period of less than 72 hours can indicate a sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) or sudden deafness. You may notice this change in hearing right when you wake up or when you specifically try to use the affected ear.
Causes of Hearing Loss in Adults
Audiological diagnostic criteria for SSNHL (the rule of three): sensorineural loss with thresholds worse than 30dB; in three consecutive frequencies; onset within three days (72 hours).
Sudden Hearing Loss is a medical emergency
quickly. It is not uncommon to wake up to the condition. The key thing is to recognise your hearing loss is not normal and seek urgent medical care from a hospital Emergency Department and ask to see an ENT specialist.
Other signs and symptoms may include:
To treat an ischemic stroke, blood flow must quickly be restored to the brain. This may be done with: Emergency IV medicine. An IV medicine that can break up a clot has to be given within 4.5 hours from when symptoms began.
Stroke can also result in sudden hearing loss. Usually this loss comes with vertigo, a sensation of movement or spinning. It can also cause difficulty with balance, nausea and vomiting. Most patients show partial or complete recovery of hearing loss by 1 year after stroke.
Temporary blockage: this is often caused by things like earwax buildup, pressure changes (like flying or diving), or a cold. Temporary blockages usually go away on their own or with simple treatments like swallowing or using ear drops.
See a nurse at your GP surgery if: