So far cause unknown, I was very concerned not only about my hearing but that it may have been a stroke, although I had no other symptoms. So I went straight to my
GP this morning, she asked me questions regarding my general health and checked inside my ear. She then carried out testing with a tuning fork which I was unable to hear.
Later she contacted ENT, who thought it could possibly be inflamation of the middle ear. They have prescribed a 12 day course of steroids, Prednisolone tablets 60mg a day for the first week, then tapering off for 5 days. So it is now a case of worry and wait.
Has any member gone or know of someone who has been through a similar experience?
Thanks.
Sounds like SSNHL (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss) Early treatment with high dose steroids is appropriate. Yes, it’s scary. All you can do is wait and see. Hopefully others who have experienced it will chime in.
That is a real bummer @BarryH… I can truthfully empathise! My hearing went down drastically (severe/profound) overnight, both ears went down, with horrendous Tinnitus, I had pitch perfect hearing, this was many, many years ago (viral flu) I immediately went to the doctor, he erroneously prescribed a decongestant instead of steroids, as he just assumed (without checking) it was a common flu… Suffice to say, by the time I went back, it was too late for steroids! The doctor gave me a profound apology, admitting his serious medical error/mistake, I had never had an apology from a doctor before or since, at the time, I was a bit bewildered, and confused, I couldn’t effectively communicate or understand all conversations, but I did forgive him… In life, we all make mistakes, and when a professional Physician, man’s up, holds up his hand, and admits he got it severely wrong, I had to forgive him… Good Luck with the steroids, hopefully you will make a full or partial recovery… Fingers crossed!!! Cheers Kev.
@BarryH sadly this SSHL happens frequently, it happened to me as well. The specialists I’ve spoken too don’t know the real cause. One said I might have had a small bleed, others have said it could be the result of a virus.
As you said it happened overnight, you wake up next day and just can’t hear. It is an emergency situation, the sooner you start on steroids the more chance you stand of some of your hearing returning. Sadly it’s not a guaranteed cure though. Mine didn’t return at all. Hence why I went down the CI route.
Good luck to you with your treatment.
Wow. You have my complete empathy here! I’m intrigued about the prednisone treatment right off the bat. Perhaps you’ll be LUCKY! Please keep us posted on your condition.
I think I had your audiogram in my 40s? And look at it now! Proof positive that you can have cinderblock ears and still do FINE with aids. I have Phonak 312-battery Lumity Life aids, and LOVE them. You’ll have options no matter the outcome.
Cheers Kev,@kevels55. Had a call from NHS Audiology today, wanted me to explain what and how it happened. So they are seeing me this coming Friday to assess the damage. Maybe a little early as I will only be on fifth day of steroids.
Thank you @Deaf_piper. I’m able to hear the notification chimes from my aid, I don’t know if that’s a good sign. So happy for you, that you got there in the end.
Thank you @1Bluejay. Will keep you posted. I’ve only worn aids since 2016, at that time my hearing loss was mild to moderate. I also love my KS10’s. So hopefully I can keep on enjoying them.
Yeah Barry, anxious times! I do recall back then, I wasn’t unduly worried, in my complete ignorance, I knew absolutely nothing about SSNHL, and wrongly assumed hearing aids would sort me out, I was in for a very rude awakening…I hope the steroids work well, or at least you have a partial recovery, things look promising, if you are hearing the start up chimes on your aids! Not so long ago, directly after my first Covid vaccine, my hearing dropped significantly, but gradually returned, after a few days to it’s normal state, well normal for me… Fast forward to the next vaccine injection, I was a little apprehensive, as to whether my hearing would drop again, but I went for it, within an hour or so, I was completely Deaf, hearing absolutely zero, in either ear, I thought, that wasn’t very clever Kevin, taking that risk! Fortunately, after a day or 2, my hearing started to gradually return over the next few days…The next vaccine, I declined, my reasoning was fairly logical, I had Covid twice, I would have built up a lot of antibodies, so I might survive the next bout of Covid, but my hearing might not survive a third vaccine? Good Luck hopefully, everything will pan out, and your hearing will return to its normal self! Remember Barry, we Scots are a rather tenacious breed, we rise to face adversity, and face it head on! In the worst case scenario, with the help of this forum, you will find a way…Cheers Kev
Thanks @kevels55. Coming up to 80 in June Kev no major health problems so far, apart from my hearing, if this is the only cross I have to bear, then I count myself lucky.
You are very welcome Barry… You have done well to have survived this long, without any major health issues, apart from your hearing loss…Lang may yir lum reek! Cheers Kev
Gotta say, I would be similarly fearful!! I had some extra ringing in my ears after my Moderna vax last fall … but then even the weather/pressure changes can get “tuneful” in my ear. However … if you want to try something to avoid cold, flu or COVID, try wearing an AirTamer.
I bought one of these just for airplane travel almost 10 years ago, and have never gotten sick from any flight since. On top of which, I wore the AirTamer in public all through 2020-22 just to be safe. Never got COVID. Then my dear hubs got COVID last Sept and he was down for the count for two full weeks. The day he tested positive, I put my AirTamer on in the house, kept things clean, slept down the hall, and by GOLLY I still haven’t tested positive!
I’m pretty sure I’ve been exposed to the virus many times, but due to my very drippy, always running nose, I think I just blow the bugs OUT before they can grab hold and take me down.
Well, that’s advice from the Peanut Gallery here.
I experienced the same a couple of years ago, I suddently had a complete loss on my left side, the “good” one. I knew nothing about SSNHL at that time, and I first thought it was a problem with my HA, I could not hear anything, not even the start-up tone… until I test it on the other side and realised there was nothing wrong with the HA. I then went urgently to the ENT and he prescribed me steroids. The recovery was slow, after the two weeks prescription period I recovered most of my hearing, and the following weeks a bit more. I did not recover 100% of my previous hearing, but something like 80-90%. I really hope that you will recover as much as possible, fingers crossed, good luck!!
My wife lost hearing in one ear, like you, it was overnight. The doctor thinks it was a virus. In her case her hearing in that ear never came back. Tried a hearing aid for that ear but it didn’t help.
I also lost all my hearing in my better R ear over a Friday night. My L ear was already deemed untreatable with a hearing aid. So when I lost all the hearing in my R ear, I could hear absolutely nothing. Realizing this is an emergency, I had my husband call my ENT Monday morning and he got me in same day. Also had three intra ear steroid injections and oral steroid treatment, I got 75-80% of my previous hearing back but, since my hearing was not good in that ear, I do have a more difficult time hearing in any noise. I had my hearing aid reprogrammed and got a custom ear tip which helps.
My doctor said that the cause is usually a virus and a few days later I tested positive for Covid.I’m VERY grateful to be able to hear again even if it is more difficult. I play piano and, using headphones, I can hear pretty well but music doesn’t sound as dynamic as it was which is disappointing.
Still I’m grateful but do take even more care to avoid noisy places as I know I can’t afford to lose more of my hearing. I know others that have had a sudden hearing loss like this and some that now have cochlear implants. Being older, I wonder how easy implants would be if I did lose more hearing. But I still do everything i did previously and do my best to adjust to the new reality. Most people are really kind and understanding. But I do wish that (some) people would speak clearer rather than louder and look at me when they speak. I explain this over and over but a few people just don’t listen.
Just do the best that you can and continue to be active. Hearing aids are improving and that’s good news. I’m considering updating my aid.
I
Thank you @unilateralhearing. Pleased that you got most of your hearing back. I’m on my 4th day of steroids, and seeing my audioologist today, so keeping my fingers crossed that I may get some improvement.
hopefully, everything will pan out, and your hearing will return to its normal self! Remember Barry, we Scots are a rather tenacious breed, we rise to face adversity, and face it head on! In the worst case scenario, with the help of this forum, you will find a way…Cheers Kev 
