Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 49 of 105}

god2007, after a delay of more than month it is unlikely that any more hearing will come back but as we have seen, it does happen. If SSHL is really the death of hair cells in the cochlea as some ENTs suggest then in theory it should not be possible to get the hearing back as they supposedly cannot regrow. I have been told by a leading ENT in London that of 100 people reporting SSHL 50% will recover on day one, of the remaining - 50% will recover within 2 weeks, of the remaining - 50 % will recover within 8 weeks. The 2 people in 100 that are left do not FULLY recover but most of them, like me, have a degree of recovery. He also suggests that the condition is much more common than we think as many people recover on day one and don't report to a Doctor, believing they have a blocked eustachian tube. He firmly believes that all recovery is spontaneous and no treatment is proven to help but all treatments should be given to all patients to give them a chance! The bottom line as always is NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THIS CONDITION IS OR HOW IT OCCURS.

Thanks JeWel41 for your information. My ENT doctor also said after around 1 month the hearing u get back mostly stabilized. Do we get less chance to have SSHL again since we already had once? When was yr onset of SSHL and how long since then now? how much level of recovery u gained ? is it still improving ? and what treatment and things u do now for better chance of fully recover. Besides, how abt the ringing ? it's annoying. Do u know if it will subside later on ? God bless all of us

Hi JeWel41, I have 1 more thing to ask ...are u using a hearing aids now? how does it feel/sound like using a hearing aids? does it sound ok? normal? not too loud? can it mask the ear ringing? is yrs a digital one?
Anyone has tried tinnitus masker? does it hep?

Hi Jewel,
it absolutly needs to be enhanced, im 100% positive of this.I know of some that have 2mm ANs that cause symptoms so I would repeat it if you can.

Tatianna, thanks that is exactly what I thought but I can't find an ENT who will agree to do an enhanced scan. It would cost £1200 fpr a private enhanced scan and I can't pay that at the moment.

god 2007 - I made all my hearing gains in the first month, from severe in all frequencies to an average of 38dB now (up to 60 at high frequencies). The distortion etc took about three months to improve and the ear fullness a bit longer. Still have this a bit when i take my aid out. I have a digital hearing aid which definately helps to mask the tinnitus but it does mean that it seems alot louder at night now. I don't believe that tinnitus will ever go away and the best but hardest thing to do is ignore it. I haven't tried a masker but my audiologist told me from the beginning to listen to an slightly tuned out radio through earphones to train the brain to recognise when noises are external or in your head! I think this helped, I certainly don't notice my tinnitus 24/7 like I used to. I have three types by the way - loud high pitched whistle, whooshy/crackling and 'chimes' when I shake my head (I find these the most weird but nicest sound!)This all happened to me on 25/11/06 I had three months off of work as a teacher but am now back full time and doing OK. Keep positive you will notice improvements and life goes on.

god2007 - more on the hearing aid. It feels fine though I am aware of it a lot of the time. I am much better able to tell where sounds are coming from with it. I can definately hear better in noisy places with it too. I would much rather wear it than not and would advise anyone to have a try with a hearing aid. At first things are a bit loud but most have a volume control, mine has three settings and at first it was on the quietest but now it is on the loudest which is supposed to be as near to 'normal' as it is possible to get because the aids are tuned for the individual. Sometimes high-pitched sounds make it whistle and sometimes there is feedback but without it I could not have gone back to work.

Thanks JeWel41. Do u know if hearing aids also go fine for case like me? high freq. loss? How much is a digital hearing aids? which brand u use? U said hearing aids can mask tinnitus, but why it make u feel sound louder at night? can u wear hearing aids during sleep ? not? but why? can u sleep at night with ear ringing?sorry for so many questions.....I wish u well and pray for everyone here

god2007 - I have more high frequency loss than low and it helps me. Of course you will never get you normal hearing back but it is better with an aid. I got mine on NHS so it cost nothing but good ones are around £800-£2000. My tinnitus is louder at night because there is no hearing aid to mask it and as I haven't noticed the tinnitus during the day it just seems louder. You can't wear a hearing aid to sleep as it would be uncomfortable to lie on. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping with the timmitus or particularly getting back to sleep if I have woken in the night. Ask as many questions as you like, myself and others here are glad to help.

Here is my update after visit to ENT specialist yesterday. It should give hope to some people! I woke up on Jan 2nd, almost deaf in my left ear, and with ringing in the ear and feeling of pressure /fullness of ear. After 3 consultations to different doctors I finally had an audiogram on Jan 31. My low frequencies were around 80 and 70 dcb, and an upward sloping curve to between 65 and 40 dcb in mid-frequencies. High frequencies were around 30-40dcb. I had many different problems with sounds, and had a terrible time 'adjusting'. Luckily I was given a hearing aid on a trial basis almost immediately, and it helped me a lot. The doctors took all tests, including MRI scan. Nothing found,- no allergies,no explanation,- only 'sudden deafness'. I was on prednisolone stereoids for a week,- still no major improvement. I was told they could not do anything, because they did not konw why it happened. Well, on the 16th feb I had another audiogram, my low frequencies had improved to between 60 and 50 dcb,- no change for the rest. on the 22rd of march I finally got into a major hospital and had another audiogram,- my hearing was a little worse again. (80 - 70). The doctors here said the curve on the audiogram looked like some ething called Meniere's,- but I had not experienced vertigo attacks. Well, they suggested I start on loop diuretics,- I started on a regular dose and then after 2 weeks ,- doubled it. It made me dizzy,lose weight and some other problems, BUT i started to get my hearing back. To make a long story short, I had been on it 3 months yesterday, and my hearing is almost normal in all frequencies! I had a new audiogram yesterday. I knew my hearing was much better because I had no need for my hearing aid. My tinnitus is still there, so is the ear fullness. The doctors said he belived the loss was due to fluids in the inner ear,- that is why the diuretics have helped. But he doesn't know. Well, now I am off the medicine, and we will see what happens. I hope I will still keep my hearing. My improvement came much after 1 month, so it is possible. The first doctors I went to see said wait 3 months, improvement could still happen after this time. But in rare cases they said to me improvement can be made even after 9-12 months. I guess it depends on what kind of sudden deafness you get,- that is something they don't know because it can be so many things. I was given no advice on how to deal with ear fullness or tinnitus,- they cannot help me in this area. He talked about putting in a shunt into the ear drum, but my ear is so narrow and curvy that I could not have this done in a doctors office (usually a simple procedure) I need real surgery for this, so we agreed to see how I was feeling after the summer. If you are put on diuretics, be patient. My improvement did not come immediately, but after several weeks. I have lost 9 - 10 kg, and feel dehydrated. But it will be exciting to see how my body will react now that I am off again. Also, still need to avoid salt. I am extremely happ to have my hearing back almost to normal,- I do hope many of you others can experience the same!

Klmno - what was the name of the medication and the dosage? I am going to ask my GP if I can try it too. Were the side effects that you felt debilitating or could you still work? I am really pleased for you that you have your hearing back.

Thanks JeWel41 a lot ! Good to hear improvement can keep going after several months. Hope miracle is always there !
It seems like in klmno's case diuretics helps to gain back all hearing, even after months, but is it only for those hearling loss due to Menier's with upwards slope? does it mean all down slope is not Menier's case so diuretics dun help ?

hopebc also get back hearing after 9 months, did u ever on diuretcis too ?

God bless us

I had 2 days of strong diuretics when i was in hospital at the start but that is all. Last night I did some research on loop diuretics though and was quite alarmed to find that all the evidence suggests that they are OTOXIC and therefore far more likely to damage hearing and make tinnitus worse than they are to have any benefit. With K1mno then, I think you may have been very lucky and of course as most ENTs would say, your recovery may have been spontaneous.

diuretics are OTOXIC !? wow...so do u still plan to try , JeWel ? Is klmno's case is really Menier's? but why he/she dun have vertigo? I tot vertigo is a must symptom for Menier's

My doctor has not diagnosed me with Meniere's, but I had an upward sloping audiogram (Major loss in low frequencies), 2 kinds of tinnitus and ear fullness. (Happened overnight) Did not have vertigo attacks, but I have had one episode at work where I started to feel very ill, sweated profoundly, and could not walk normally (felt very drunk). I had to get back home and spent the rest of the day in bed with headache and balance problem. But no spinning vertigo) However, after ALL the tests came back (ruling out problem with outer and middle ear), the third doctor I saw said I had Meniere-like symptoms, but without verigo. They wanted me to try loop-diuretics, because they suspected 'endolymphatic hydrops) - fluid in inner ear. They told me my tinnitus could become worse on the diuretivcs, but hoped my hearing would come back. Now I am just hoping tinnitus will be better as I have stopped medication after 3 months. They didn't recommend loop-diuretics more than 3 months. I started with 40 mg Diural (like Lasix) for 2 weeks, then took 60 mg almost 1 1/2 months and then back to 40 mg again. I must say it made me dizzy when I got up from sitting position, had to go to the toilet all the time in the beginning, and I had to take kalium pills so my 'electrolyttes' would not suffer. (I don't know the spelling) I have had trouble sleeping (mostly waking up a lot during night)It also made me feel a bit down, no energy. However, I decided I would give it a try and stick out for 3 months. I started noticing my hearing improving maybe 1 1/2 months into the 'program'. So, hearing almost normal, still problem with ear fullness and tinnitus. Now that is a wait-and-see situation.
A lot of drugs can be ototoxic, so I guess one must sometimes take a chance and hope for the best. Weigh the benefits against the downsides. In my case I wanted to try, because I had such a terrible time with sound distortion,and everuthing , I just wanted to give it a try.

Congratulations to klmno with your hearing come back ! It looks more like yr case is menier's coz once u had balance problem and upslope audiogram.

Anyone has tried Ginko Biloba ? which is supposed to help tinnitus?

God bless everyone here

I have tried Ginko Biloba and in its liquid form it tastes foul and did nothing to improve my tinnitus.

Oh by the way,- I did go to work, but made sure I could go to the toilet easily. After about 1/2 hour after you take diuretics, in the beginning, you must go 'all the time' for about 3 - 4 hours. That is why it is taken in the morning, so you can sleep at night without going to the toilet. The last couple of weeks, my body must have been so dehydrated, I did not notice that I had to go to the toilet excessively any more. In fact, it was as normal. However, it depends on what type of work you do. I have ability to plan my day myself,- so I made sure all meetings were in the afternoon. Besides, with tinnitus and sleeping disorder the last few months, I have not been an early bird! I plan my day according to my feeling on how I wake up. Sometimes I have not gone in to work at all. (But not due to diuretics)

I'm new here, and haven't had time to read this entire thread yet, but I have read that having a cochlear implant installed minimizes or eradicates tinnitus in some people. If if were profoundly deaf in my 'bad ear', I'd def. consider a C.I., esp. if it got rid of this blasted ringing!!! Just a thought..... Brian

Cochlear implant is quite a drastic solution. In the UK it will only be offered if you are profoundly deAF IN BOTH EARS AS THE COST IS AROUND £30,000 also there is no guarantee the tiinnitus will stop as no one really knows where the tinnitus comes from anyway.

Hello, anyone has anything update to report and share with us lately ? I would like to hear some encouraging news from u guys...thanks
God bless

anyone can contribute some update ?

Hi all,
I've been coping with my 'dead ear' for over a year now. I still have the ringing, recruitment and hyperacusis--but I have to say it is much easier to live with than i expected.
i find the body does adjust--i can sleep now, but i do find that some white noise helps with the tinnitus..having the a/c on for example. i still find restaurants very noisy and difficult, but i can cope.
i'm going to get a cros-hearing aid system next week.
my left ear is so profound with the hearing loss that i cannot get an aid. so, basically this system is a microphone that will send the sound to the good ear.
its a bit cumbersome,--2 behind the ear aids, and they dont have a high success rate--but i really would like to try and see if it helps me at all. i'll let you all know how it is when i get it.
i wish you all well...SHL is a shocking and traumatic thing and i hope you can all learn to cope and adjust.
lynda

thanks what?. It is nice to know thing can really get better with time. I am dealing with T for 2 months now and with some high freq loss. I didn't sleep that well maybe becoz of anxiety. I do wish the hearing aids system can fit your need.
God bless

Hi all, and best of luck. Just checking in and am happy to report that I still have my hearing back except for some mild distortion. I still need to get a follow up MRI to check up on that white spot in my head. I'll do this in a month and will report back.

I don't know if this has been posted but a recent meta-analysis performed on the relationship between steroid use and hearing recovery has been done and they find no effect. I'll try and post the link below so you can check it out:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Surgery/Otolaryngology/tb/5958

so does itmean people with full/partial recovery are actually owing to 'spontaneous recovery itself' ? and how much hearing come back depends on how much it lost at the beginning?

hello just thought i would jump in, say hi and give a update. I lost my hearing around august to sept of last year. everyone on here pretty much knows my story. I got lucky and caught it early and got back full hearing. my left ear originally lost hearing up to 90% loss or more but it came back. the only thing that ever happened afterwards was i get ringing in my right ear now which is wierd because that ear never lost its hearing and i can still hear now in both ears. its the strangest thing. i still get that ring in my right ear. my ears are extremly sensetive now. anywhere there is loud music it always hurts afterwards.

I took prednisone and took shots to both ears. once a week for three weeks of decadron. I also took just about every vitamin and herb imaginable, i also did accupuncture. I consider myself to be extremly lucky. I dont know how anyone does it and it scares me to even think about it. my one year of full hearing is approaching fast and i'm scared to death of it.

god bless all of you for what you are going threw.

from what I have noticed I can honestly say, that sleep and exercise and vitamins help but it wont cure anything. ginko is a joke. dont take it, it actually makes it worse in my book. duritics make it worse too. my ringing is always worse if im on a treamill, take to many cruises and when I took duirtics and rings more too.

I beleive only a few things ever helped me. Sleep, vitamins, prednisone, ear shots. accupuncture helped me to better concentrate and helped to change my attitude. and most importantly finding god.

You all are so much braver then me. I would have ended it long ago so god bless you all.

So far im ok. i deal with the ringing when its there, and i can still here and thank god all the time. one day there will be a cuse for this so please hang in there. dont be dumb like me. I was very lucky. I almost didnt stick around for the cure. IT WILL BE HERE IN THIS LIFETIME!

I miss talke to you guys. :)