Sudden Hearing Loss in my right ear

Hearing Loss
#1

Hello, I have been lurking and reading through the forum and wanted to share my experience with sudden hearing loss. On October 23, 2017 I woke up as normal and as I walked through the house I felt as if I had driven up a tall mountain and my ears needed to “pop”. I opened my mouth as wide as possible and they both popped and felt normal again. After my wife got up and began talking we both noticed I was having a difficult time hearing especially on my right side. Before this my hearing had been normal for a 64 year old man although I have been accused of having selective hearing problems by my wife.

A couple of days went by and my hearing never got any better. I made an appointment with my ENT doctor and he gave me a hearing test, inspected my ears for excessive wax, etc. You can tell from my audiogram that my hearing loss was very great in the right ear and much less in my left. He suspected a virus had settled in my ear and suggested trying oral steroids for 21 days and then another hearing test to see if my hearing has improved. I have completed the steroids and my hearing is not any better. I go back this afternoon for my return visit and hearing test.

In the meantime I went to the local Beltone Hearing Center, the one my dad has used for 40 years, and got a pair of Legend 17 on a 30 day trial. They helped the left ear tremendously but done absolutely nothing for the right, as the hearing specialist at Beltone predicted. I’m returning them today and will see what the ENT suggests after my second test.

I’ll update this thread after my visit. I welcome any comments or advice and they will be appreciated.

Wayne

#2

Wayne, your description of sudden hearing loss in ONE ear was so intriguing to me that I surfed up to the web and found an informative post on the topic at the NIH. I suggest you read it, as your experience appears to match this event spot-on. You may want to consult with an otolaryngologist, neurologist or other specialist to rule out any other causes. If you are in otherwise good health, it will be better to address all likely causes than just assume one thing, and leave other possible causes untreated. BEST OF LUCK getting to the bottom of this condition! Would love to hear your follow-up …

#3

Hi Wayne, I have a similar story. A bit over 3 years ago, on April 12, 2014, I woke up, went to the restroom and realized I lost a significant portion of hearing in both ears. Pretty much flat lined. I work at a hospital, so I knew immediately to see an otologist (sooner the better, but should be on steroids within 2 weeks to have any benefits). He put me on diuretics, nasal corticosteroids and 60mg tapered prednisone treatment. My hearing returned to about 75% after 2 weeks of treatment (along with a roaring sounding tinnitus that travels around my head). I spent the next several frustrating months doing one test after another to rule out autoimmune, Menuire’s, tumor, etc etc. Negative or inconclusive results. Finally, I was officially diagnosed as SSHL (Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss) with no detectable cause. Talk about devastation. For many months, I was hypersensitive to noise, determined to protect what hearing I had left. My otologist was concerned and I was referred to a psychiatrist who specializes in helping hearing loss patients cope with not only the loss of hearing but also the tinnitus that usually accompanies such injury. She helped tremendously. I realized this rabid drive to find the cause of the hearing loss was not conducive to my mental well-being nor for my family and friends. I was like the Conquistador Ponce de Leon trying to find the Fountain of Youth.

I now accept this loss for what it is. I may never know what caused my hearing loss. But that’s ok. Live your life, embrace your family and friends. I have to warn you, hearing aids will never sound 100% “natural”, but that’s ok too. Let them help you get to 80% of what you remembered hearing was like. In the future, if your hearing returns, Hurrah! If it fluctuates, deal with it as it comes. Good luck and I’ll be rootin for ya.
–Jeff

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#4

1Bluejay, thanks very much for your reply and the link. My ENT had suggested that very website to me for more info after my first visit. It contains some very helpful info and I learned a lot from reading it. My follow-up hearing test today showed some improvement over my last test and the ENT wants to do a follow-up in 6 weeks since there was some improvement over the last 3 weeks. He said since I had no other symptoms he didn’t suspect a tumor but did still lean to the virus settling in my inner ear. He said after the next test, when the steroids had run their course, we would make a decision on what to do next depending on if my hearing improved more or stayed approximately the same.
I asked about hearing aids and he said it was too early for that at this point, especially with the improvement in my hearing test. He recommended waiting until my hearing flatlines at some point so we’ll know what kind of hearing aid I need.
Wayne

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#5

Hi Jeff, I’m sorry for what you’ve gone through but appreciate very much you sharing it with me. Thanks for the words of advice and encouragement.

Wayne

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#6

Bamabww, it sounds like things are moving in the right direction for you - awesome! Keep us posted about your progress after your next app’t. I don’t suppose your situation would be connected to medications … vaccine … flu shot or something that’s “working through” your system? I ask, cuz I think I’ve had a year-long episode of “frozen shoulder” thanks to a pneumonia vaccination I got in Sept 2016. I’ve read that sometimes the virus or bacteria ends up inflaming the body at a point of least resistance. Anyway, BEST of healing to you!

#8

Bamabww, sorry that happened to you. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is unfortunately quite common. We generally call it idiopathic because there are so many potential causes. Anything from a transient ischemic event to a virus to a sudden decrease is intracranial pressure can result it what you have described. There’s rarely ever a reliable way to determine the cause, and often ENTs prescribe oral steroids as a first treatment. For other readers of this post, if this ever happens to you, call your PCP immediately. The sooner it is treated, the better the likelihood for a positive outcome. Steroids generally help about 50% of the time. I’m not convinced they do anything at all, but it’s probably better than doing nothing. Glad to hear your hearing has improved, and I hope it continues to.

#9

@tnaud92, thanks for your reply. Since my last update, I’ve been to my third ENT and have taken my fourth hearing test. It looks like my hearing is where it’s going to be. There has been no improvement in the the last two test. I still have an appointment with the original ENT I saw on January 8th for another hearing test. Of course he doesn’t know about these last two test but I don’t think his test will show any improvement either.

My family doctor has told me the steroids have run their course by now but the original ENT doesn’t have an appointment until the one I have in January due to the holidays etc. His Audiologist won’t fit me with hearing aids until the ENT gives him the OK.

I have already visited three Audiologist shopping for hearing aids. With the holidays coming up and just my normal everyday life events, I’m buying some hearing aids. I’ve already paid my deductible for this year and my insurance will pay some on hearing aids so I’d like to get them as soon as possible, especially before the end of the year and maybe before the Christmas holidays.

#10

Well I had hearing aids now for about 4 weeks now. I decided on the Phonak Audeo B13 with a Phonak Cros for the right ear. I’ve only had one adjustment made and that was for the shrill voices of my pre teen granddaughters.

So far so good. They are comfortable to wear and I’ve really been pleased with the improvement to my hearing while wearing them. I’m still learning how to use them because I’ve found it’s different when I’m only with my wife compared to when I’m in a crowd.

The Cros has helped tremendously with my hearing from the right side. My audiologist warned me the Cros was a battery hog but so far not so much. The battery in the Cros will signal it’s going out about 2 hours before the other one. I’ve been getting 5 to 6 days of use with the #13 battery.

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#11

Great! Success stories are always nice.