1. < Hearing Loss

Will I regain my hearing in left ear?

Posted by jcj123 @jcj123, Jan 3 6:48pm

I woke up with no hearing in left ear. Went to urgent care because I thought it was just wax. Dr. said it was clear. He told me to use an antihistimine. So I went to the urgent care next to that one because I couldn't believe he didn't see wax. That dr said the same thing, my ears were clear. He prescribed the 6,5,4,3. etc dose of prednisone. The following Tuesday (4 days later) I finally got in to ent. He referred me to ent neuro which I went to on Thursday. Diagnosis is sensorineuro hearing loss. Now I'm on 60 mg of prednisone for a week then reducing it a tablet every 2 days. Tomorrow I'm going to hyperbaric oxygen therapy for 10 days. Anyone have experience with this. In addition, I hear white noise in that ear which is very disturbing and loud. Any encouragement welcome.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

paw | @paw | Jan 10 6:46am
In reply to @lmayo "Reply to dloos Actually, sudden hearing loss does come on just that quickly. I was awake..." + (show)
@lmayo

Reply to dloos
Actually, sudden hearing loss does come on just that quickly. I was awake when mine happened, and it was like a switch was shut off on my right ear. I can tell you the exact date and what I was doing when it happened. Not realizing it was an emergency, I just assumed it was temporary like when you have a stuffed ear caused by a cold or something. Had I known better, I would have gone to the ER. The next morning, which was a Sunday, I woke up with severe vertigo so bad that I had to crawl when I was finally able to get put of bed. I contacted my PCP first thing Monday. They got me in to see a PA. No one seemed overly concerned by what was going on with me. I was sent to a physical therapist for the vertigo. Nothing got better so I went back to my PCP a few days later. By the time I got in to see an ENT, 10 days had passed. I had an MRI, and the steroid shot and meds did not bring my hearing back, but I later learned that an eatlier treatment would have given me a better chance. I have zero hearing in that ear. I had just had hearing tests on both ears 4 months before the SSHL so I knew my hearing was better than average for my age...no hearing aids needed.
About a year later, I had an Osia 2 bone conduction implant which helps with directional hearing, but I will never have the life I had before this happened. Only a person who has experienced sudden hearing loss will appreciate the life changing aspects of the phenomena. The sad part is that no one has ever been able to offer an explanation as to why this happened. There are theories, but no definitive answers. You just learn to live and cope with it. There are many things that can be worse in this life, but I still research for solutions. Never give up.

Jump to this post

My story is the same. First ENTwasted valuable time by treating with medication, assuming it was a viral infection.
I needed steroid shot in my ear for any hope.
I have tinnitus, I must get up slowly due to dizziness, although this has become easier to live with.
I have a cross hearing aid that does help with my SSD. It’s taken quite awhile to get the adjustments right for my hearing aid.
Good luck to you. It can be very depressing, but I tell myself, there are much worse things people deal with.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.