Sensorineural Deafness

Sensorineural deafness – if you experience sudden hearing loss or this occurs in less than three days, then you might be suffering from SSHL or Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss. If such condition occur, then it is necessary for you to seek immediate medical attention. Sensorineural deafness can be sensory, which means it affects your cochlea directly or it can be neural which means it can be connected to the nerves between your brain and cochlea.

Losing 30 dB’s?

A dB or decibel is the unit being used to measure sound and frequency is used to measure the sound waves. Sudden sensorineural deafness is determined if you are diagnosed that you lose 30 dB’s over three frequencies. In right terms, the decibel level of 30 is half as loud as the sound of a normal conversation. Almost 90% of sensorineural hear loss cases occur on a single ear and most people suffering from it usually notice it upon waking up in the morning. Some people notice their condition when trying to make a phone call and they seem to not hear anything. In other cases, just before sensorineural hear loss occur, there is a loud pop before losing your hearing sensation.

Disturbing symptoms…

Although the symptoms can be really disturbing, you should know that sensorineural deafness is rarely permanent. Only 15% of the sufferers can actually experience permanent hear loss. For some people, they may slowly improve overtime so this type of recovery does not really require a medical intervention. Although this condition can actually affect anyone at any time, the age range is often between 30 and 60.

Major head trauma?

Over 100 possible causes of sensorineural deafness were identified, although they are not fully aware of the cause of the condition. In general, the physician will first go through the patient’s medical history to determine if you have experienced any major head trauma before experiencing this condition. Unfortunately, some patients are unable to define the cause of this condition. For optimal hearing, it might be necessary to have proper blood circulation and airflow, as some cases indicate that this condition can be due to the insufficient amount of oxygen supply in the inner ear.

Cogan’s syndrome…

Sensorineural deafness can also be due to certain events or certain toxins such as snake bites, as this can cause immunological diseases like Cogan’s syndrome, which is a rare disease that can cause inflammation in the eye and can cause deafness and blindness if left untreated. Ototoxic drugs, drugs or medications that can be harmful to the inner ear, can also result to sudden hearing loss. Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis can also cause sudden hearing loss, as well as for those who are suffering from Meniere’s disease.

Steroid treatment…

Most of the time, sensorineural deafness is treated with the use of steroids, especially if the cause of the condition is unknown. This is because steroids allow the body to go against illnesses and reduce cases of inflammation. If the problem is due to the consumption of ototoxic drugs, then your physician might recommend you to stop the intake, reduce the dosage or prescribe an alternate medication. For some patients, the condition can also be treated by doing some changes in their diet, particularly with their salt intake.