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Hearing Loss & Valsalva Maneuver: Looking for Information

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) | Last Active: Aug 16, 2023 | Replies (53)
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@gcritchley

HI - So glad I found this. Add me to the list of people with diagnosed SSNHL (sudden sensoineural hearing loss) that experiences a return of some high frequency hearing when I do the Valsalva, leading me to think that there's something else going on either instead of, or in addition to the SSNHL - like Eustachian tube issues etc, or some . I'm seeing a neuro otologist in a month and am hoping he can see what happens while I do valsalva. I do the valsalva many times a day so I can hear better, and I am worried that I "shouldn't be" doing that, although an ENT told me that "frequent valsalva" and decongestants and nasal sprays are the way to fix eustachian tube dysfunction - so I'm both concerned and hopeful. Any additional info on this topic?

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Replies to "HI - So glad I found this. Add me to the list of people with diagnosed..."
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 22, 2023

Welcome, @gcritchley. I agree that discussing the Valsalva maneuver with the ENT specialist is a good idea.

I found this reference info that may be helpful to prepare you for your consult with your ENT.
- - Valsalva Maneuver - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537248/#!po=30.0000
EXCERPT
"Valsalva maneuver is relatively safe and can be performed in all patients. Side effects reported are rare. However, since there is a rise in intraocular and intra-abdominal pressure, therefore the test must be avoided in patients with retinopathy and intraocular lens implantation. Valsalva retinopathy may result in susceptible patients.[8][9] Also, there are reports of syncope, chest pain, and arrhythmias due to the performance of VM. Therefore, caution is necessary for patients with pre-existing coronary artery disease, valvular disease, or congenital heart disease."

You may also wish to connect with other members talking about SSHL in the Hearing Loss support group here https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/hearing-loss/

In particular, this discussion may interest you:
- Help: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) - very scary https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/help-sshl-very-scary/

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