Sudden Hearing loss _{Page 69 of 105}

Dear luv2ridegal,

I'm 11 months into sshl. I have profound loss in the high frequencies. Anything below 375hz are close to normal. My audiologist at Stanford Hospital recommended a hearing aide saying it will help 'stimulate' non-functioning hearing cells in a long run. Personally, I don't benefit from it at all, nor does it mask my tinnitus, as they claimed in the beginning. Since you mentioned you have a great ENT that recommended against an aide, could you help me inquire about research papers that prove contrary to its advantage? I wouldn't have purchased it and keep feeling completely cheated for spending 2 grand on something I don't benefit from, if they had not kept emphasizing the 'stimulation' part. Thank you so much.

Glad227,

I am 4 months into this and also tried a hearing aid (and tested a BAHA). And I also have profound loss in the high frequencies and much better hearing in the low frequencies. So our situation sounds similar. I found that the hearing aids did little or no good. The hearing aide seemed to just make the distortion louder. The BAHA provided some benefit - especially in a quiet environment and someone talking on my bad side. This benefit, however, was not enough to make me want to drill a hole in my head. I would also like to see any information on benefits of hearing aids if anything comes up. So far I am not a believer, and you have now convinced me even more.

following is an excerpt from a reply I received from nosimus2000 who went through this in 2006 and has his hearing back (see earlier posts from October of 2006 -


'yes that is the same Dr. and he does wonder so please stick with him and also consider the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville but here is what I assume in your case.

'SSNHL- does not usually attack both ears at once. It is a immune problem which causes swelling in your innner ear or inner muscles, what it does is stop oxygen , fluids and vitamins from going to your inner ear. It can be triggered by many things, Trauma to the head, loud noises, past or present Disease or sudden flu, tumors and in your case an operation may have even triggered it.

'heres some things you can do. I tried all of these. I dont know which one got me back my hearing because I went crazy and did it all because it was important to me.

1. check with your prescription on the prednisone... you should have been prescribed 60mg a day for 12 days then taper off. This is where most ENT's makes mistakes. if you didnt get the right amount. do it again!!!!!

2. you did the 3 ear shots and that is correct. Dr. always uses Decadron and it makes you spin when he gives it. you feel so wierd and its horrible but that does work.

3. check cholestral. if your not getting proper blood circulation then that could be why.

4. Accupuncture. didnt think it cured me but it sure helped me to deal with what i had and people sware buy it.
it cant hurt so do it.

5. vitamins is a big one. you need liquid vitamins instead of hard so they can work better and you need lipoflavin vitamins. lipos only come in hard form and can be found at any walgreens and liquid can be found at any health food store. I use. 'Peter Gillhams Natural vitality liquid Organic Life Vitamins.' and Lipoflavinoid vitamins hard form. plus, red yeast rice, L-arginine, omega fish oils, flaxseed, and CQ10 this stuff is all great for your body, it increases blood flow, Oxygen and vitamins to your inner ear. also the less caffeine and less high sugar based items you eat the less the ears will rings. exercise helps to.

6. take prescrition of antibiotics just to make sure there is nothing in your systm.

7. homeopathic. these are the little tiny pellets you can take that taste like sugar pills , I took them, dont know if they worked but i tried them.

8. Found comfort prayer and support in church. I hadnt went in many years but once I went I knew no matter what happened, god had my back. and I'm not huge fan of church. I like going but its hard to get up and go on your only day of rest but when I did I was so glad I did.


'There are two things different from yours and most others with this situation,
You had problems with both ears which is not usual so I would look into a disease called 'AIED' , it is rare and no it has nothing to do with HIV, but that is where your immune system attacks both ears at once. Dr. will say that it is very rare and he will say it is doubfull but make him do a full blood test on your everything including STD's and including a immunoglobin test as well as a western immunoglobin test. also check your protien levels. if your protien levels are high that will tell you there is something wrong.

'Searching for the problem will not ever give you the cure so dont worry to much about how it happened and worry more how to fix it.

'good news is if you loose total hearing in that ear then you have the wright doctor because he is the only doctor i know licensd to do the Baha implant which is the same thing they got back rush limbaughs hearing but they wont do it unless you go totally deaf in that ear.


'hardly any of what I mentioned will comfort you, I am very sorry and I will pray for you. I know only to well what your going through and I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy. but you must fight back. Do your research , they are coming out with new news everyweek on google, I see it all the time, they found that rats and birds are the only ones that can regrow the inner ear hairs and they are working on implants and have a whole new hospital just for inner ear problems. these are all good signs that a cure can be found, is simple enough and people they can fix it.

P>S> VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!! SSNHL is not a disease it is a problem that is caused by something else. what this means is it is more like a symptom of something else gone wrong in your body so check your body closely. this could be a sign of something that either has efected your body and left or it may still be there so stay on top of it. god bless you.

correction - post from nitrams2000 - look on page 24-26 or so in this thread for his story. I e-mailed him as he went to the same Dr. here in Florida that I am going to.

Always keep things in perspective, losing some hearing, having manageable tinnitus and odd hearing is a horrible thing...but always remember that things could always be worse. There are those far worse off than us. Take your vitamins, eat healthy, exercise, and know that healthcare technology advances 16 fold every year. I carry hope on this.

And I will reiterate this, Neuromonics is the new treatment for tinnitus, expensive but 85% effective. Most can manage, some cannot.

As for hearing aids, does your two thousand dollar aide have a white/pink or brown noise masker integrated? You may want to look into this as something that can help you manage the Tinnitus, which seems to be the worst side effect of the loss of hearing for most.

Hi, everyone...I went back to my ENT yesterday and had another hearing test (my 4th and 3 months after losing hearing in my L ear). I am still profoundly deaf in that ear - not just in the high ranges - but all ranges. I 'tested' the BAHA again and cannot wait to get mine.

My doctor (who taught other ENTs at Emory University in Atlanta for over 20 years) has explained that if you have ANY hearing at ALL in your ear, the BAHA is not for you; but a hearing aid might be. You must be completely deaf in that ear for the BAHA to work. I have recently gone back to work and it is very hard to be in meetings, wait for elevators, have people come up on my left side talking to me and I have no clue that they are - it is embarrassing and frustrating. You can't situate yourself where everyone is on your 'good side' all the time. With the BAHA (which again, I realize isn't for everyone), I could NOT believe how 'real and clear' the audiologist's talking was yesterday. Even though the sound was going through the processor on the L, then through the bone and over to the good cochlear, it absolutely sounded like I was NORMAL again and actually hearing on the L side! I understand not everyone would want a titanium post drilled into their head for the processor to fit on. To me, though, to begin to 'hear' again (and after having had 23 surgeries, including a knee and hip replacement), a little outpatient surgery will be worth it. Again, not for everyone (unless totally deaf in that one ear) and if you're up to the surgery and post-op care and maintenance.

Unfortunately, the doctor wants me to wait another 3 months -- which means 6 months from my 'event' to be positive my hearing will never come back--even though he and I are 99.9% sure it's not.

In the meantime, I'm about 1/2 as dizzy as initially, but the tinnitus is the same. The tinnitus doesn't bother me (usually) as much as the dizziness does. Originally, I was told it would go away eventually. Now I understand I may not comopletely get rid of the dizziness--hated to hear that--and pray I'm one of the lucky ones that it does go away for!

I have taken myself off almost all medication, as I'm now acutely conscious of ototoxicity, which I never ever paid attention to before. So, my arthritis is killing me and keeping me up at night. If anyone knows of a non-ototoxic remedy for arthritis that works, please let me know! Thanks!

Hi Jazz, Best wishes to you. you mentioned that you've had 23 surgeries. How old are you and do you smoke?
I still can not give up cigs.

I wonder if this is a thing that is more prone to hit smokers? no one ever posts that they smoke. Trish

Dear Glad227, hi and best wishes to you. My ENT discouraged me from a hearing aide because he said i would keep picking up alot of backround noises, it would keep falling out and it would make my poor hearing ear work less. He told me i would just put it away and never use it. My insurance covered it so it was no question of the expense. He told me that the shots could cause lung problems. Also that in the 60's they would put people in some kind of tanks to breath oxygen. he said that they did at one time encourage people to breath in paper bags (in the 60' a & 70's) I myself, wouldn't try it now beacese I'd be afraid of messing with what hearing that did come back. My situation began 9-14-08. I'm 54, and yes, I do smoke.Good luck to you. Trish

Hi All, i had a wierd thing happen today. My ear felt full which hasn't happene in 2 weeks. i was carring a case of water from my car and when i brought it in the house , I bent over to place it on the floor and the ear popped..the full feeling subsided.

i had during my corse of this thing
1.an ear that sound like an air conditioner, to a hair dryer on high, a hair dryer on low, bacon frying, bacon sizzling, water simmering, and now a computer sound with mild space alien noises. It's all low. An ear plug won't mask this because it's in my middle ear. Regular tinnitus can be masked with an ear plug. I do use earplugs when I'm drying my hair, running the vacume cleaner or in a noisy place like a casino. All the sounds there really annoy me. I take very good care of my ears now and will not ride or be a passanger on a motorcycle without ear plugs and a bandana.I found that if you make a fist like a cup on your ear you acn hear better too! Trish

*****I seem to be a dyslicsic typest. i can not spell as well as I hear****Ha Ha

Um..I think you mean Mimi, not Jazz, the only surgery I've ever had was my eartube, and some stiches ..lol

Hi, Jazz...I'm 58 and have never smoked. I swear (sorry) I'm made up of 'seconds' or maybe even 'thirds!' It's a standing joke with family and friends, who are used to me 'breaking' -- BUT, I'm also used to being fixed and that's why this SSD is so frustrating!
I know, however, that 'this too shall pass' and eventually this will seem like just another bump in the road. We adapt sooner or later...just have to keep our chins up until then!

What is it with caffeine? It seems to increase the terrible fullness almost instantaneously. I'm really missing my morning coffee.

Does anyone else have a sensation of numbness along the side of the face and down the neck? Not skin sensitivity, but something else...like that side of my head feels like a block of wood. Does this go away?

2dogs, that's the feeling of 'fullness' we're all talking about. I told my doctor I feel like I should look like the elephant man down one side of my face--based on how FULL it feels from my hairline to my collarbone.

I thought the 'fullness' was referring to the sensation INSIDE the ear/head, which I also have. But at different times, it spreads all over my neck and side of my face....so this is just part of it? I apparently have sensorneuro loss due to inner ear barotrauma type...and it's no better. The more I read the more discouraged I get. My buzzy electronic sounds have diminished, but the rest continues.
Yesterday I ventured out to the foot dr. and for a manicure...I can't STAND TALKING to people, it's so odd, I don't hear myself right, I think I am shouting (probably am). Others have said my voice sounds 'weak' or 'different' on the phone.
Anyone else have this?

I have had the 'fullness' over the last 3 years, really noticing it after my second SSNHL in Oct. 2006. Whenever I start to feel that I massage around my left ear and it tends to go away. Therefore, I now massage even when I don't feel that fullness, attacking it in a more proactive way.

That being said, I had an event this last May that I thought was a TIA, again, my left side of the head. After MRIs, carotid artery ultra sound, EKG, etc. I am told that I have something called silent migraines. This manifests as fullness and a surface sensation down my left cheek from the top of the left side of my head.

Massaging seems to help mitigate it, as well as following the neurologists direction to drink caffeine in the mornings, take a baby aspirin every day, lots of sleep and meditation and aerobic work out.

What I haven't been able to get from any of the docs is whether there is a relation between the SSNHL and this diagnosis of silent migraines. Oh, yeah, I also have eustachean tube dysfunction so I am constantly yawning to open up and hear.

I am blessed in that I do have my hearing at levels I had prior to the whole mess that started in August, 2005 and only have the kind of symptoms I have talked about in this post, i.e., tinnitus in the left ear and the various sensations on the left side of my head.

Interesting. I am finding, as I've always known having chronic tube dysfunction, that morning coffee makes the open/close tube thing worse. For the time being I'm forbidden exercise, in hopes that if I have a round window membrane tear (that's what's suspected) it will heal over 6 months...meaning the pressure may be relieved but no guarantee about the hearing loss.

The feelings in my neck are EXACTLY the feelings I had post face-lift 4 years ago, and it was explained to me then as an inability of fluids to drain...lymphatic massage was encouraged, and I use it too. It is a rather instinctive thing to do.

Blood work, after getting my blood work back my LDL and Hemoglobin were, um off the charts high. Leading to believe that someone has already posted here, SSHL is usually a symptom of a bigger problem.

Now that they found some oddities for a 32 year old male, non-smoker, no history of illness, who eats right, works out 5 days a week, runs, bikes and lives a very healthy lifestyle to have blood like an 300lb 65yr old male, obviously something is up. Hopefully now they can get to the root of my year long battle (thus far) with the Inner Ear and hopefully come up with a solution.

Hi All, I had a root canal done today . The dentist had to saw a bridge apart.One and a half hrs. in the chair.I thought that I would surely be doomed. Wasn't bad! In fact, after an hour my little tinnitus friend was back to 'normal' levels! YEA!!!!

Hey 2 Dogs, I drink maxwell house lite. Extra water too.Try it. If you use artifical sweetner use splenda (yellow pk.) No aspaertine!!!

What's the association with aspartame....I've yet to see anything scientific showing cause/effect for all the things that are claimed that it causes. What does it do to ears?

Since my 'pressure' sensations are much better at night, bad in the morning, should I be sleeping elevated?

Hi 2 Dogs and everyone else,, The hell with the coffee. I just drank a bottle of wine and had a whole pk. of cigs at my despense, watched 3 Sex & the City re runs . I'm feeling fabolus!!!!Too late for the drunkin' dialies for my east coast friends ao I called an LA freind. This sucks you gotta grab this thing by the balls and say the hell with it. This forum is too techicinal just go with it, Tinnitus isn't going to nail me!I have grabbed this thing and nailing it, I haven't been able to exerciss because of the tinnitus, and the way it effects me. I've put on ten pounds.I feel like a big slug at 135 lbs. From hEAR on it stops! I am fabolus! I've read so much on this forum and the people don't seem real,Get with it and start living!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my mission statement Someone teach me to spell!!!!!!!!!I'm going to bed, seeing double!!!!!!!!!!!P.S. I work at a food store,(customer service) the powerball is over a hunderd million and there's a snow storm comming. I'm beat and gotta do it all over again tomorrow!!!!! Catch Ya, Trish

You go girl. Every minute you don't think about your ears is a bonus. Wine makes it even better!

I'm a 54 year old grandma who rides her on motorcycle you get my drift ? I'm no baby gonna beat this thing. I'll br dead for a long time . Got me??????????, U bet. PS I'm from Philly!!!!!!!!!!

Hi All, I would not recomend drinking in heavy doses with tinnitus. It is the loudest that it's been for a long time. I got what I deserved.

I'm so sorry! Hope it calms down quickly. Everybody has to cut loose now and then and get away from the frustration of this. Lay low, feel better.