Sudden Hearing Loss: What are options if steroids don't work?

A few insurance companies will cover all or part of the cost of hearing aids. Unfortunately coverage is not common. Medicare does not cover them.

Cochlear implants are covered by Medicare and are usually covered by insurance companies. If you receive a negative response about CI coverage from your insurer, and you qualify for a CI, the cochlear implant company will negotiate for you.

CI qualifications are much broader now than they were even a few years ago. Many who have single sided deafness now qualify. If a CI is of interest to you, I suggest you have an evaluation done by a medical facility that does this surgery.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I went from excellent hearing to SSHL in one ear instantly while in my car. I was treated for allergies. Spent 2 more weeks trying to find an ENT to see. Got on prednisone at 3 weeks. Then 4 steroid injections thru eardrum. No improvement. It has been a life halting experience for me. If I just couldn't hear with one ear I think I could eventually move on but it has now been 8 months. The side effects that accompanied the deafness are what's really debilitating for me. The loud tinnitus, the sound sensitivity in my good ear, the constant fullness/pressure in my whole head, the reverberating feedback sometimes when I talk or try to hum or sing. The never ending feeling of assault at all the noise around me or trying to watch a movie. I was referred for a Baha or Osia implant but the specialist in the SF Bay Area said that would not help with all the side effects. He recommended a Cochlear Implant but said Medicare won't cover because I have good hearing in my right ear. My PCP referred me to UC Davis (a teaching hospital) for a 2nd opinion but it has been 6 weeks and I can't get a call back or appt. I keep trying to "move on" but I don't know how. This happened days after closing my business, turning 65, and planning next chapter. I've barely left the house since this happened. Finding good info and help is a struggle. I tried to nicely educate the Doctors that didn't treat my initial hearing loss as an emergency but they didn't seem very receptive. I tried chiropractic adj, massage, boosting my immune system. Was going to try hyperbaric chamber but my doctors said it would be a waste.

You're not alone in all these thoughts and experiences Friend. I am now only 3 weeks out from this loss and much of what you're describing is applicable to me. If this doesn't improve somehow, which I am not holding high hopes for, then I definitely want to go full-court press toward a Cochlear Implant - because I am not ready to simply release having 2 ear hearing. I have another friend who has apparently done this - but that's definitely not me. I have found out my Cigna insurance does cover this issue (at least from my initial investigation) so after my MRI and follow up consultations with my ENT (and a second opinion) I will work hard toward this if I am a good a good candidate. I want to encourage you to stay occupied in as much a regular pursuit of your life as you can and don't become discouraged by your circumstances. As human beings we have an amazing ability to adapt, by God's Grace, and while there will be big challenges and disappointments there will certainly also be good rewards if we work toward what's possible!

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I really needed it.

Thank you for sharing this message. Validating other people's experiences makes a big difference for people, especially for those who feel they are all alone with a health issue.

I have a sudden reduction in my hearing in the right ear. I was sick for couple weeks with fever and cold. One night within 1hr I had a terrible ear pain, I was given antibiotics drops and pain killers, the pain reduced that night with in 1-2 hours. But after that I had a reduced hearing in my right ear. I saw ENT after 4 days and got pure tone audiometry, saw the graph for right ear go down till 50db 8000hz.

Was told to start steroids and get an MRI. Steroids dose will end tomorrow but I don’t see any improvement. It has been 18 days since the pain and hearing loss. I am starting to worry.

In April of 2008 I lost all hearing during the night, both ears. I went to sleeps a hearing person and woke up at 11:30 that night and felt something had happened. I put an iPod to my ears and couldn’t hear anything. I was not sick, I did not have a stroke. In the morning my husband and I went to an otologist who confirmed that indeed, I was deaf. He called it, Sudden and Complete Hearing Loss. Imagine my shock.
It took five months of fighting with our insurance company to finally get approval for bilateral cochlear implant surgery.
In September I had surgery on the right ear. It worked immediately. Three months later, the left. Didn’t work, 15 years later, still doesn’t work. With the implant I hear, at best 37%. Not great but that’s the reality of it.
I also have tinnitus in the left ear that is incredibly loud. I hear music in my head when I don’t have the processor on. When I do, I prefer to not initiate conversations because I may not be able to understand what the other person or people are saying. I get tired of apologizing that I can’t hear but that’s not true-I can’t make out what they are saying.
I know some sign language but that only helps me communicate if other people know it too.
Being deaf is very isolating.

You say the first CI surgery worked 'immediately.' Does it still work, or is that functioning at only 37%? With appropriate rehabilitation after the CI surgery most people do better than that.

Do you use assistive technology with the CI processor? Cochlear's mini mic 2+ works very well for most people. I use mine a lot in social situations in background noise. The Roger Pen is also helpful. Some of the add on tech is brand specific to the brand of CI a person has.

Hearing loss is very isolating. You are right about sign language. Unless those you live with and associate with use it, it's not much help. It can be a wonderful option for those who become a part of the Deaf Community.

My help for isolation has come from meeting other people like myself; those whose hearing loss came in adulthood. If there is a chapter of HLAA or ALDA in your area, you will benefit from getting involved. HLAA is The Hearing Loss Association of America. HLAA is a consumer based organization that brings people together to talk about their experiences, to learn about technology and to advocate for research & development in technology and medicine. http://www.hearingloss.org

ALDA is The Association of Late Deafened Adults. ALDA has chapters that meet to discuss experiences. http://www.alda.org

Chapters of these organizations exist in many states. Both organizations promote the development of more chapters. The only reason they exist is because people start them.

Due to COVID, a lot of chapter meetings have been held by video conferencing. Zoom meetings have kept these organizations going. Still, there is nothing quite like meeting in person to realize that you are not alone.

HLAA is planning an in person national convention in New Orleans this coming summer. Their conventions are life changing.

There's so much to learn about living well with hearing loss. Have you connected with either of these organizations?

My implant shifted somehow inside the ear canal after my surgery causing the Cochlear implant to work improperly. I did not know that this was possible but I wasn’t getting the results I expected from the implant so they checked the ear canal part. Perhaps you have already tried this but if not it could be the cause of the problem.

I lost all hearing in my left ear 13 days ago. Within the first 3 days, I had gone to urgent care and was informed that I had fluid in my ears and to take allergy medications. And, after a week, I followed up with my PCP, who did not see any fluid retention and referred me to an ENT and Audiologist. The audiologist shared that I have profound hearing loss in my left ear and was skeptical that I would be able to regain hearing. Currently, I'm on a regimen of Prednisone and am 3 days into taking it. But, I'm disheartened by all of the comments that highlight its limited impact on my SSHL diagnosis. I meet with my ENT again in a week to have additional tests and steroid injections. I will also have an MRI done. I am very concerned because I am starting to get tinnitus in my right ear although the audiologist mentioned I tested fine. I am researching as much as I can on my next steps. Apparently, one should have a cochlear implant within the first 6 months of SSHL diagnosis ---because our brains will start to otherwise find other neural patterns for sound recognition. I can't tell if my hearing loss was brought on by stress or Covid, which I experienced 4 months ago....I don't think I'll ever know. Reaching out to this community on any personal guidance or recommendations.