Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Did you know that approximately one out of every 5000 adults experience sudden hearing loss every year? Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) is a severe medical condition that needs prompt medical attention. It is important that you not only understand the condition but also the steps you can take to save your hearing. So, this month’s blog will dive into everything you need to know about Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss, from the causes and symptoms to the treatment and ways in which Creekside Hearing can help! 

Let’s back up and start from the beginning: what exactly is Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss? SSHL, commonly known as sudden deafness, is an unexplained loss of hearing that happens instantly or over a span of several days. The condition happens when your inner ear or nerve pathways between your ear and brain become damaged. SSHL typically occurs in one ear and is often mistaken for earwax buildup as the sound becomes gradually muffled or faint.

Now you are probably wondering: what causes Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss? Unfortunately, only a small percentage of people diagnosed with SSHL will have a clearly identifiable cause because the exact incidence of the condition is uncertain. However, the most common causes include:

• trauma to the ear or head
• infectious diseases
• autoimmune diseases
• blood circulation problems
• neurological disorders
• exposure to certain drugs that treat severe infections or cancer

Most of these causes are usually accompanied by other medical symptoms or conditions that could help pinpoint a clear diagnosis.

The symptoms of SSHL are a lot easier to identify. Approximately 90% of people with SSHL will experience the condition unilaterally, or in one ear only. Many people notice this hearing loss first thing after waking up in the morning but others will not become aware of it until they try to use their deafened ear, like when talking on the phone or wearing headphones. SSHL is also sometimes described as a loud and alarming popping sound right before the hearing loss. People experiencing SSHL may have trouble hearing high-pitched sounds, following group conversations, or hearing conversations when there is a lot of background noise. Aside from hearing loss, other common symptoms include dizziness, ringing or buzzing in the ears (also called tinnitus), and balance problems.

If you are experiencing these symptoms or hearing loss in general, it is important to seek prompt medical attention. Our team will do an assessment to rule out SSHL so that we can quickly move onto the next steps to help save your hearing. Early treatment may increase your chances for a full recovery so it is crucial that you contact us so that we can address your concerns right away. Contradictory to what you hear from those around you, if you wait too long and just hope for your hearing to return, then your hearing loss has the potential to become permanent. Please do not wait – book an appointment with Creekside Hearing. 

Here is what you can expect: to begin, we like to hear more about your experience to help determine what is wrong. Since SSHL typically happens either overnight or when waking up from a nap, we will ask you questions about your unique timeline and take action as needed. Our team will rule out conductive hearing loss which is caused by an obstruction in the ear, such as fluid or ear wax. 

If this is not the case, we can refer you to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor) immediately who will complete a further evaluation. This process has to go through your family doctor but we will call your primary healthcare provider while you are in our office so that your GP knows about the situation and can refer you to an ENT as soon as possible. In the event that your hearing loss is not medically treatable, we can fit you with hearing aids.

As always, customer care is at the heart of our appointments and treatments, so we will follow up with you throughout the process and answer any of your questions along the way.

We hope this blog shed some light on Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss, equipped you with the knowledge of what to look for, and helped ease any concerns about what actions to take. If you think you are experiencing hearing loss and want to check your hearing health, then we at Creekside Hearing are here for you. We tailor all of our services to your personal hearing and lifestyle needs. Contact us at 519-885-0006 or at info@creeksidehearing.ca to learn more or to book an appointment with our team. We look forward to working with you!