Ear trauma or SSHL?

Hearing Loss
#1

For those of you who aren’t familiar with me, I started wearing a hearing aid in my right ear last September. I feel like I’ve finally come to accept this hearing loss and the idea that likely things will worsen over time. I’d also finally come to some peace about the fact that I will likely need a hearing aid for my left ear sometime within the next year or two. Now it might be sooner.

Very early last Friday morning, my 21-month-old son accidentally kicked me in the head - specifically, in my left ear - while I was trying to settle him to sleep after a night waking. I had immediate ringing in my ear and remember thinking that things seemed quiet, but I figured that would resolve. Well, now we’re at 4 days later and although the ringing is no longer present, the hearing in my left (good) ear is very, very muffled sounding. Normally, with my hearing aid at its “set” volume, I hear sounds at equal loudness in both ears, but right now, the sound in my aided (right) ear is seriously overpowering what I’m hearing in my left ear. But if I turn the HA volume down, then I really can’t hear or understand conversation. (Since Friday morning, I’ve had to ask my husband and daughter to repeat just about everything they’ve said.) I called my GP this morning. She can’t get me in until tomorrow. I then called my audiologist, who recommended I call the ENT I’ve been dealing with. The ENT’s been quite a jerk to me, but I still made the call and have an appointment to see him on Thursday morning.

I have no idea if I have actual hearing loss now, or just an injury/infection in need of treatment, but it’s very disconcerting not being able to hear properly and not being able to understand my 3-year-old daughter unless she speaks directly into my “good” ear. Anyway, I realize that my “case” isn’t likely true SSNHL, so perhaps this is the wrong forum to post this in? I’m not sure. I’m kind of anxious to see what’s going on… I’m hoping and praying it’s not permanent.

I realize most of you have stories that are far more traumatic than mine. I’m in awe of people who handle SSNHL with grace. Thanks for listening.

Kerry

#2

My limited understanding of SSHL (which I have) is that it is either viral or auto immune, and not from trauma. Your description of what happened distinctly mentions trauma.

Best wishes with your doctor visits.

— Updated —

My limited understanding of SSHL (which I have) is that it is either viral or auto immune, and not from trauma. Your description of what happened distinctly mentions trauma.

Best wishes with your doctor visits.

#3

Thanks for the well wishes, Freedom.

I’m not meaning to be argumentative, but I’ve actually read a few articles which state that SSHL can occur due to head trauma. Here’s a link to one such article:
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/sudden.aspx
Also, in my years working as an emergency room nurse, I saw two patients who experienced sudden significant sensorineural hearing loss (more than or equal to 30dB hearing loss) in one ear secondary to trauma. In both cases, the hearing loss ended up being permanent. I don’t know how common it is for trauma to be the cause of SSHL, but it’s definitely possible for it to be a cause.

Anyway, I guess I’ll know more tomorrow or Thursday. In the interim, I started using over-the-counter antibiotic drops just in case there’s some sort of infection. (I am a non-practicing nurse practitioner, so I’m quite familiar with the use of this medication.)

Kerry

— Updated —

Thanks for the well wishes, Freedom.

I’m not meaning to be argumentative, but I’ve actually read a few articles which state that SSHL can occur due to head trauma. Here’s a link to one such article:
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/sudden.aspx
Also, in my years working as an emergency room nurse, I saw two patients who experienced sudden significant sensorineural hearing loss (more than or equal to 30dB hearing loss) in one ear secondary to trauma. In both cases, the hearing loss ended up being permanent. I don’t know how common it is for trauma to be the cause of SSHL, but it’s definitely possible for it to be a cause.

Anyway, I guess I’ll know more tomorrow or Thursday. In the interim, I started using over-the-counter antibiotic drops just in case there’s some sort of infection. (I am a non-practicing nurse practitioner, so I’m quite familiar with the use of this medication.)

Kerry

#4

kerry,
Have you made an appointment to see an ENT yet? If not do it, you may have ruptured your eardrum or disrupted you ossicular chain when your son kicked you in the head. He may be only 21 months but he probably has the kick of a Missouri mule! Good luck, I hope the hearing loss is only temporary!

#5

Yes, Seb, I will be seeing my family physician tomorrow and the ENT on Thursday. An ossicular chain break is actually what I’m most worried about. I’m pretty confident my TM isn’t ruptured; I’ve had that happen numerous times in my other ear and this doesn’t feel at all similar. Still, I want to rule that out as well. My guess at this point is that there’s some swelling in my ear canal secondary to the trauma which is what’s causing the muffled sensation/hearing loss. I’ve had otitis externa numerous times before, and this feels similar, although the hearing loss is more pronounced this time around. Hopefully I’ll know more tomorrow, and even more on Thursday.

Kerry

#6

Yes it is possible under some conditions: like when you get a perilymph leakage (fistula) through one of the windows to the cochlear following severe head trauma. If you break the mastoid bone in your skull it can cause a fracture across the cochlear and may permanently destroy it’s function or that of the connected auditory nerve.

— Updated —

Yes it is possible under some conditions: like when you get a perilymph leakage (fistula) through one of the windows to the cochlear following severe head trauma. If you break the mastoid bone in your skull it can cause a fracture across the cochlear and may permanently destroy it’s function or that of the connected auditory nerve.

#7

Um Bongo, I’m pretty confident that my mastoid bone isn’t broken and that the kick wasn’t “severe” trauma, although it was definitely hard enough to be a bell ringer! I really don’t have any pain anywhere, and, as a former ER nurse, I’m reasonably confident that I’m not showing any signs of fractures anywhere. I realize things can show up later, though.

I saw my GP this morning. She says there is a bruise on the tympanic membrane in the ear that was kicked, and feels that once the bruising is gone, my hearing in that ear should return to it’s normal state. I’m wondering how she can tell the difference between a bruise on the TM and blood showing through from behind the TM? Anyone? At any rate, the muffled sensation has started to clear a little bit today and I’m hearing my daughter’s voice better, so the doctor could be right about that. She also recommended I have a hearing test if my hearing isn’t back to normal in a week or two. (Evidently, she needs some education on SSNHL. I’m going to look for something to bring to her.) I’m still going to follow up with my ENT tomorrow, though, since the muffling isn’t gone.

— Updated —

Um Bongo, I’m pretty confident that my mastoid bone isn’t broken and that the kick wasn’t “severe” trauma, although it was definitely hard enough to be a bell ringer! I really don’t have any pain anywhere, and, as a former ER nurse, I’m reasonably confident that I’m not showing any signs of fractures anywhere. I realize things can show up later, though.

I saw my GP this morning. She says there is a bruise on the tympanic membrane in the ear that was kicked, and feels that once the bruising is gone, my hearing in that ear should return to it’s normal state. I’m wondering how she can tell the difference between a bruise on the TM and blood showing through from behind the TM? Anyone? At any rate, the muffled sensation has started to clear a little bit today and I’m hearing my daughter’s voice better, so the doctor could be right about that. She also recommended I have a hearing test if my hearing isn’t back to normal in a week or two. (Evidently, she needs some education on SSNHL. I’m going to look for something to bring to her.) I’m still going to follow up with my ENT tomorrow, though, since the muffling isn’t gone.

— Updated —

Does anyone know why many posts are showing up twice???

— Updated —

Does anyone know why many posts are showing up twice???

#8

KerBear,

I hope you hearing continues to improve int the kicked ear. As for the double posting: I think the forum has some problems again, I think the forum has some problems again.

#9

I saw my ENT this morning. For the first time ever, he was actually nice! He’s usually quite arrogant and pompous, but while I was waiting to see him, one of his patients left in an angry huff yelling that he’d never come back to see this doctor because he’s a “jerk” (other patient’s words, not mine, although I agree somewhat). Anyway, I guess my ENT was a little humbled because he was actually kind and didn’t talk down to me today for the first time ever.

My ENT doesn’t think I’ve done any permanent damage to my hearing in my left ear. I told him that things are still a little muffled. He agrees with my family doctor that there is a small bruise on my TM, and he thinks that should resolve in a week or so. He also said that it’s possible that the bump in the ear and the drop in hearing at the same time were a coincidence. He suggested I get my hearing checked again. Anyway, I’m relieved to know that there isn’t any obvious indication of a significant problem. He did say that if there were a break in the ossicular chain, or a crack in any of the other bones, I would likely be experiencing at least some pain. Since I’m not in any pain whatsoever, he said it’s likely the hearing loss is just traumatic in nature and will resolve on its own. We shall see.

Thank you, everyone, for your advice and words of encouragement. I guess it’s not SSNHL afterall… I’m very thankful.

Kerry