Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

• sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden deafness) (1)
  • a rapid loss of hearing that occurs suddenly or over a period of up to 72 hours
  • a medical emergency
  • can affect anyone
    • common between the ages of 30 and 60
  • causes include
    • infections
    • trauma (e.g.head injury)
    • immunological (e.g.Cogan's syndrome)
    • toxins
    • ototoxic drugs
    • multiple sclerosis
    • Ménière's disease
  • associated features
    • tinitus
    • vertigo (2)
  • investigations
    • audiogram
    • MRI of brain - to exclude acoustic neuroma
    • blood studies - to look for systemic causes
  • diagnosis
    • based on clinical history
    • when there is a loss of at least 30 decibels in three connected frequencies (1)

Reference:

(1)sudden sensorineural hearing loss , National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health

(2)sudden hearing loss, ©American Hearing Research Foundation