It often occurs suddenly and without much warning: sudden hearing loss. This is a unilateral or bilateral hearing loss that occurs without any recognisable external cause or injury. The impaired hearing can be accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the ear, Tinnitus and/or dizziness. The sudden onset of hearing loss can be a frightening experience for those affected, often associated with uncertainty and worry. In order to restore hearing as quickly and, ideally, completely as possible and to minimise possible long-term consequences, you should make an appointment at our ENT clinic in Frankfurt arrange a consultation. We will examine you carefully and clarify which therapy for sudden hearing loss is most suitable for you.
The diagnosis of sudden hearing loss is usually based on a combination of medical history and clinical examination. The individual steps include
We will ask you about the onset of your hearing loss and any accompanying symptoms such as dizziness or ear pressure.
We will now examine your ears with an otoscope. This is a medical device to which an attachment with a light source and a magnifying glass is attached.
This allows us to examine your external auditory canal for signs of inflammation, foreign bodies or injuries. We can also look at your eardrum and assess its colour, structure and mobility. This allows us to identify perforation, inflammation or fluid build-up, for example. In some cases, we can also use the otoscope to take a look through the eardrum at the structures in the middle ear.
The physical examination is followed by hearing tests. Using various methods, we can determine the extent of your hearing loss and identify the affected frequencies. We use various methods for this (you can find out more about this under Hearing and dizziness diagnostics Frankfurt).
We can also use the Video-ENG Check your sense of balance.
If necessary, we can order further examinations for further clarification, such as radiological imaging (e.g. MRI or CT).
The treatment of sudden hearing loss requires targeted and prompt intervention in order to minimise possible long-term damage and restore hearing as quickly as possible.
Stay confident: With advancing medical research and innovative therapeutic approaches, there are now effective ways to help you in this challenging situation. These include
As a rule, we prescribe a short-term therapy with high-dose Corticosteroids (such as prednisolone) over a period of a few days. These medications are intended to reduce inflammatory processes in the inner ear and improve blood circulation. In severe cases, we can also use cortisone infusion therapy or inject the active substance directly into your middle ear. Both treatments are carried out on an outpatient basis at our ENT clinic in Frankfurt.
Acoustic stimulation methods such as tinnitus retraining therapy can also be useful in the treatment of sudden deafness. They can help to rehabilitate hearing and reduce the perception of ringing in the ears.
To promote recovery, it is important to take care of the affected ear and protect it from noise and other stresses. Relaxation and wellness as well as pain and sports therapy can help to combat sudden hearing loss. We will be happy to advise you!
A sudden hearing loss occurs all of a sudden: Within a very short time, the patient hears less well or almost nothing at all in one or, more rarely, both ears at the same time.
Many sufferers perceive sounds as distant and muffled, as if the volume had suddenly been turned way down - or a thick piece of cotton wool or a foreign object was stuck in their ear.
The condition is often accompanied by pressure on the ear, dizziness, slight light-headedness and ringing in the ears (humming, whistling or buzzing). As a rule, sudden deafness does not cause any pain.
If the patient is healthy, the sound travels through the auditory canal to the middle ear. The signals are then transmitted via the eardrum and the auditory ossicles to the inner ear, where they are converted into electrical nerve signals and sent to the brain.
In the event of a sudden loss of hearing, sound reaches the inner ear normally, but its transmission or information transfer is suddenly disrupted. As a result, the sensory impressions can no longer be processed correctly. This leads to a disturbance in the perception of sound.
The cause is probably a circulatory disorder in the inner ear. In order to function optimally, the fine auditory sensory cells - like all other organs - must be supplied with sufficient oxygen and nutrients from the blood. If the blood vessels are constricted and the blood supply comes to a standstill, the cells lack "nourishment". They no longer absorb the stimuli correctly. This can lead to mild hearing impairment or even complete hearing loss.
A sudden hearing loss is also colloquially referred to as an ear infarction or a collapse of the hearing.
If your hearing suddenly stops working as usual, it does not necessarily have to be caused by sudden hearing loss. For example, an infection (e.g. middle ear infection) or a plug of earwax can also cause similar symptoms. Temporary hearing loss can also be caused by loud noises such as a bang or an explosion. We will find out the reason for your hearing loss through examinations.
Please do not panic and remain calm if you experience the above symptoms and suspect that you are suffering or have suffered a sudden hearing loss. The stress you cause yourself can exacerbate the symptoms.
A sudden hearing loss is not an absolute emergency. In more than half of all those affected, the symptoms subside on their own within 24 hours. The smaller the hearing loss, the better the chance of a spontaneous recovery. If you are still suffering from impaired hearing after one or two days, you should definitely have this checked by us.
The situation is different if you are suddenly deaf - then sudden deafness is considered an emergency.
In the event of a case, we get to the bottom of the matter with special investigations and discuss with you how to proceed.
Although a sudden loss of hearing is unpleasant and gives patients cause for concern, it is not life-threatening.
According to a new long-term study by scientists from South Korea, sudden hearing loss caused by circulatory problems in the inner ear can increase the risk of a stroke later on. According to the ENT research team, a sudden hearing loss had no noticeable effect on the risk of a heart attack. The specialists advise - especially for patients at risk - to have the cerebral blood flow monitored regularly after a sudden hearing loss.
If a patient's sudden hearing loss is not detected in time and at best treated within 72 hours, there is a risk that hearing may not fully return or may even be lost completely. In some cases, patients are also left with tinnitus.
Don't worry too much: sudden hearing loss can be treated. We have various treatment options at our disposal.
Even if the clinical pictures are similar and overlap in some aspects, tinnitus is not the same as sudden hearing loss.
In the case of sudden hearing loss, the patient's hearing performance is reduced: they hear worse, quieter, more blurred, in some cases even (almost) nothing at all. Tinnitus, on the other hand, is a ringing, whistling, humming or buzzing noise in the ear. The patient's hearing performance is usually not impaired.
However, tinnitus can be a symptom that occurs during a sudden hearing loss or as a result of a sudden hearing loss.
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