Hearing Loss & Sudden Deafness

Hearing loss can affect people of any age. One in six adults have some degree of hearing loss, which increase to three in four above the age of 75. Children can also be affected, usually due to fluid or infection in the middle ear but also due to congenital problems or viral illness during early childhood.

The mechanism of hearing

We can hear sounds via the ear canal and eardrum by vibrations of the eardrum, ossicles (small bones in the ear) and then the inner ear or cochlea where the sound waves are changed into electrical signals which are passed on to the brain along the auditory nerve.

Types of deafness

The causes of deafness can be broadly grouped into conductive problems in the ear canal and middle ear (conductive hearing loss) or sensori-neural problems, which is a problem with the translation of the sound waves into an electrical signal by the inner (sensorineural hearing loss).

A conductive hearing loss can occur due to wax blocking the ear canal, or infection, a collection of fluid, trauma or fixation of the ossicles in the middle ear. Fortunately they can usually be treated.

A sensorineural hearing loss is due to a problem of the inner ear or of the nerve that carries the signal to the brain. There are many causes, the commonest being that of hearing loss in old age (presbyacusis), but other causes include virus infections, trauma, drugs, noise exposure and congenital causes. Some inner ear problems are reversible, but usually loss is permanent. Extremely rarely it may be due to a growth or tumour in the brain.

Hearing aids are continuing to improve and help to amplify the sounds that are heard by the inner ear and so partially overcome the hearing loss.

Sudden Deafness

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss often occurs at three days or less. In this case, patients can either wake up unable to hear or there is a rapid loss of hearing in hours. It amounts to the loss of 30 dB or more. Commonly, instances of sudden sensorineural hearing loss are idiopathic. Other causes relate to ear infections, trauma, and a lack of blood flow to the ear. In some cases, sudden deafness is attributed to a sharp object put into the ear canal, in others, head trauma and stroke can be the causes. You should seek advice urgently (within 24-48 hours) if you have a sudden hearing loss, as treatment should be started within 48 hours of its onset. Treatments are commonly steroids and antivirals are applied to increase the flow inside the cochlear which will improve hearing.

When to ask for help from an ENT specialist

You should seek advice urgently (within 24-48 hours) if you have a sudden hearing loss, as treatment should be started within 48 hours of its onset.

You should seek advice if you have a hearing loss in one ear only.

If you notice a gradual deterioration of your hearing and need to discover the cause and get treatment.