← Return to Help: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) - very scary

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@bgbg

SHL is scary and frustrating and uncomfortable and embarrassing..... such a burden. I have been suffering bouts of SHL for about 3 years. I’ve seen numerous ENTs, allergist, and an otoneurologist. ENT’s are often undereducated in SHL and the otoneurologist who treated me injected steroid into the middle ear. But once that procedure was done, he let me know that he had done all he can for me and suggested I go to Cleveland Clinic. Each time this hits me I lose most of the hearing in my left ear and each time the episode eases, my hearing is a little worse. I am wearing hearing aides now but the tinnitus and pressure in my head is so severe, again, during episodes, and the sound distortion is so severe that I feel I could go crazy. I am wearing only one hearing aid in the better ear right now. Seems to help a little. Sometimes I know an episode is coming because I have severe allergy symptoms. This makes me think that this might be a histamine overload. (Allergy testing, for me, is inconsistent and doesn’t cover anything but basic environmental exposures.). Yesterday, I was being seen by a cardiologist and just because I was having such a hard time with this SHL episode, I discussed it with him. He too encouraged me to go to Cleveland or Mayo. But I have read so much about this and there doesn’t seem to be any cure or long lasting treatment. Mayo is supposed to be #1 in ENT. Are there any success stories at Mayo treating SHL? I would love to think so but I am skeptical. Anyone?

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Replies to "SHL is scary and frustrating and uncomfortable and embarrassing..... such a burden. I have been suffering..."

I am deaf in my right ear and have lived with a left hearing aid for 10 years. This has caused balance problems and not being able to hear where sounds are coming from. In November i lost hearing in my left ear and it scared me!!! After much research on Cochlear Implants I have decided to see if i am a candidate. Medicare pays for a CI. Ive watched many YouTube people talk about the process and one man said it is like going from black and white to technology. And with bluetooth you can hear music. Yes it takes awhile to retrain your brain but ive spent 10 years not hearing well. Yes it’s scary too!!!