Expert Chat: What to Know About Sudden Hearing Loss

When someone suddenly loses his or her hearing, it’s hard to know what to do or when to get help. Ear specialist Dr. Steven Rauch offers insights about the different types of sudden hearing loss and when to seek treatment.

Please note: Any patient with a hum test that shifts AWAY from the blocked ear should seek urgent evaluation by an ENT doctor.

[bardsamok]

That test at the end is gold! The 2 months of hearing loss in my left ear, seems to be 'conductive' as the humming test sounded in my left (deaf) ear! So that's excellent information!!

[ZivGlikman]

I suffered that 4 years ago. Can’t hear through my right ear now, and have constant tinnitus. Changed my life...

[cassandrah]

This is what I'm going through right now. It scared me. Thankfully, I have a doctor's appointment on Monday..even though that is not why I'm going. My ear canal is slightly swollen and painful. I didn't even know this could happen 😔

[paulynilagan]

My son have a right earing loss i hope and pray always in 1GOD that my son left ear doesent effect it for ever..🙏🙏🙏

[maxodgaard]

What if you cant determine if humming is detected in both ears?

[rahulgarai]

Best video for knowing symptoms about the type of hearing issue.

[Kudravets-Diana]

In a patient with total hearing loss in the right ear (when the left ear is normal)
Also often seen:
1) inability to hear in the other ear as well
2) Visual impairment in the right eye
3) Inability to determine which side the noise is coming from
4) Disturbance in the hearing of low frequencies in the left ear

[workoutfanatic]

In 2018, I experienced sudden hearing loss starting Christmas Eve, then full on on Christmas Day. I was worried as hell, but didn’t want to ruin the holidays for my loved ones. After 36hrs, my hearing was restored.

[MelvinTrambleJr]

Thanks because I don’t know why I can’t hear out of my left ear today.

[amyjodoty]

This is how I lost my hearing in one ear. Tried high dose of prednisone and it didn't help. Thank God I have my right ear. The Bible says when you are weak He is strong. Thank you Jesus.

[JohnPeterfr]

Recently I experienced sudden hearing loss in my left ear on a Tuesday and went and got a hearing test that day. They sent me to an ENT the next day who put me on a high dosage of steroids. I also opted to get three (3) separate shots in my ear. After two (20 weeks I regained about 50% of my hearing (prayers answered). So the faster you get treated the better your odds are of regaining some level of hearing back.

[Johnadams]

what do you guys mean by humming "shifting" to a side does it take some time of humming before you can tell?

[drchilapastrosodrlasmacas]

This makes me sad :( I've experienced this, and I'm very poor and have no rights where I am. It's a miracle I recovered my hearing loss, and it was through the hammock.

[johndavidson]

Thanks for the information!!!! I also got a hearing disorder a few years back but my father's friend suggests him to buy an Ear Care pack for me. And he bought it for me from their online store. I used it and now My condition is much better.

[nirajanadhikari]

I am facing this in my left ear Since Few Days
But I can Detect Little Sound
But it feels so annoying and disturbing

[roybatty]

I had this in Sept 22. Ignored it for 4 days until my wife said go to the doc. 50mg prednisone tapering gradually fixed it (or it fixed itself). A friend also had this and their hearing also returned. I was very relieved. I read that the higher your cholesterol, the less likely the hearing is to come back.

[paul_devos]

Very interesting Test!

I feel like I can hear equally in each year. This is DESPITE having had an audiogram that said I lost hearing in my R ear to 55-65 db across the range of frequencies. I have thought since the "onset event" in which I ALSO got BLARING tinnitus with the hearing loss -- that some of the loss of hearing is due to the "fullness" and tinnitus masking. I have another audiogram in 5 weeks to test my hearing.

in the mean time I've had 4 Intratempanic steroid shots in my R ear. I want to some hearing has improved but again, it could be because of dips in the "fullness" feeling in my ear and tinnitus also not as pronounced.

I had extreme neck pain for about a week prior to my hearing loss event. I have no had an MRI of my brain which revealed no cochlea damage, no noted nerve damage, and no other abnormalities. So I am hopeful that I can find medical practioners who will focus on the neck and be able to solve that issue. I should note that in July 2019 I also had sudden onset hearing loss + tinnitus. Which I had thru Dec 2021 until I had a foraminotomy and disectomy to remove a herniated disc -- and I woke up and all my hearing was returned as well as the tinnitus gone. I have a cervical MRI tomorrow to check the spine. I have some tingling my 3rd-5th digits, I'm dropping a lot of things, and I also have shooting pains down my left leg (Lumbar cause I'd think) as other symptoms. Hopeful for answers soon.

But this test would also support the MRI and other ENT related tests that seem like no real issue with my cochlea or related nerves. As the hearing for this test seems equally bilateral.

[RayOfSunhine]

I just came back from the range today stupidly not wearing protection at an outdoor range bc I forgot to bring mine. Me not being able to hear for a couple hours out one ear really concerned me so I ended up here. I tried your at home test and I can hear my humming at the same db level on both ears, I guess that means I dont have much to worry about? I hummed with both my fingers covering my ears and not covering my ears and it sounds okay. But my left ear still has a strong ring and slightly muffled noise threshold.

[frankr]

I experienced sudden hearing loss in one ear awhile back, which was accompanied by a whirring sound. I had had a similar episode a few years earlier which resolved on its own, so I assumed the same thing would happen. Unfortunately, my hearing did not return, and by the time I got around to seeking medical care, it was too late. Two years later, my hearing has not returned, and I have become pretty sure that it never will.

[david]

This happened to me this week. I woke up with a complete loss of hearing in my left ear. No obstruction or observable infection. Thankfully, I am receiving steroid therapy, and my hearing has returned.