Sudden hearing loss

[stressedespresso]

Anybody got any experience of this? AIBU to worry this may be permanent?

DD (19) woke up one morning last week almost fully deaf in one ear, accompanied by severe tinnitus. This was a big shock and completely out of the blue - no ear issues in the past and she’d gone to bed the night before feeling absolutely fine.

Saw an audiologist that afternoon who suctioned quite a bit of wax out, no improvement in symptoms though so we were advised to see a GP + look into an ENT referral. The GP was very reluctant to refer - basically gaslit DD, told her to stop googling, that she was being overly anxious and it would probably go away in a few days. Looking back I am now furious at this as the guidelines clearly state that sudden hearing loss with no obvious cause is an emergency and needs urgent ENT assessment + steroid treatment.

Lo and behold I ended up paying for her to see a private ENT consultant a few days later who was equally angry at the GP being so dismissive - he did a hearing test which confirmed profound loss, immediately started her on high dose steroids and has also ordered an MRI of her brain to rule out a tumour which we are now awaiting the results of. He was very (maybe too!) honest with her and has warned that there is no guarantee her hearing will return, especially since she was delayed in starting the steroids. Currently a week into treatment and no real improvement, after this there is only one other option and even that isn’t guaranteed to work. Frankly I am terrified for her as it is affecting her quality of life and ability to socialise/communicate so much. Her mental health is starting to suffer drastically and she’s really worried + stressed about the future if things don’t begin to look up.

Can anyone offer any insight into this? Has this happened to you/your DC? Handholds very much needed and appreciated 😞

I'm glad you went private. Strong steriods immediately seems to be the best course of action. The NHS seems to be getting worse by the minute and I would consider making a formal complaint tbh. x

Sitting with DD and a glass of wine writing a formal complaint as we speak! If I knew then what I know now I would’ve been far more pushy with him re: steroids and referral that day but what’s done is done..

I’m glad. But the quality of care shouldn’t have to depend on a patient’s level of assertiveness. I moved to Canada 10 years ago and I can’t believe how much worse the NHS seems to be these days. Not that it was brilliant back then (my DD was nearly delivered in a hallway because the maternity unit had no spare rooms nor sufficient staffing …)

I had this about 5 years ago. My GP was brilliantly on the ball and tried to get me into hospital that day. Long story short, "they" really don't always know why it happens (probably viral) so give steroids in case that helps. It took about 6 months or so for my hearing to come back but it did come back. I had two lots of steroid tablets plus a steroid injection directly into the eardrum and none of those brought the hearing back, just time. Fingers crossed for your daughter - it's very scary when it happens.

Many thanks for this - very encouraging to hear that things eventually came back for you. How did you find the eardrum steroid injection? Looking likely that we will be going down this route next week if things still haven’t resolved with the oral steroids. DD isn’t normally squeamish but the thought of an injection into her ear is a bit much!

I felt the same but it was fine. Feels like a quick gunshot but don't tell your daughter that.

i Had the same experience in 2019. Took months to resolve. The tinnitus was terrible like being inside a dishwasher.

Various scans, steroids and the dreaded steroid injection through the eardrum.

I hated it! They do spray your eardrum with local anesthetic but that does not stop you feeling the needle inside your head once it passes through the eardrum. it was quick but not pleasant. But have had a coil fitted since and that was worse :)

Eventually I recovered some not all of my hearing. And I have noticed it got worse again for a few days when I had my period (Pre coil) So something to just keep in mind.

They also offered me a general anaesthetic for it but I was more scared of that so just had a local. A GA may be better if your daughter is worried.

A relative had this happen to her, it ended up being a (benign) brain tumor called acoustic neuroma. Unfortunately she was afraid of MRI and took a while to seek help and she never recovered her hearing as the tumor sectioned the nerve.

BUT that being said, she lives a completely normal life. Not going to lie that everything ear related can impact balance and sound-related spacial awareness so she sometimes have some balance issues (on rare specific occasions) and cannot for the life of her find her phone or where a sound comes from, which probably is the most annoying symptom to her, as if someone calls her and her phone rings, and she can’t remember where she had last put it down she will literally run in the opposite direction to the sound as she doesn’t have her other ear it to compare it to as to whether it’s closer one way or the opposite way. And she can also struggle a little bit when too many people are talking and if you are one on one with her you want to seat next to her good ear.

I believe with quick treatment her hearing could have been saved, but it’s also to say that even if it didn’t come back she would likely lead a very normal life. Plus bonus point for being able to shut off the conversation you don’t want to hear and if you sleep on your good ear apparently you sleep wonderfully as not bothered by night noises. So positives within the negative.

but wishing a full recovery for your daughter as it must be terrifying!

This happened to my DH. Unfortunately we were also fobbed off by GP so by the time he saw ENT specialists there was nothing they could do. It happened after a fairly big health issue so wasn't particularly a priority and thought it was just blockage/ temporary. I still hold a grudge against the GP. I do hope you can get it sorted.

My hearing in one ear went in February, went to the drs, after a couple of weeks of anti biotics, no improvement, they did a swab- came back as fungal , got given my prescription- I was only bloody prescribed canestan for athletes foot and not canestan for your ear!! Worse pain in the world, went down the side of my face and throat, went back, to ask if this was normal, a different GP realised what had happened and also spotted I have a perforated ear drum hence why I could feel the solution in my throat! Been referred to ENT, had microsuction twice and some other liquid solution stuff, still got it!

Castor oil and pure rosemary oil on your hair 3 times a week . Put a hat on and sleep in it. You'll thank me later XX

Oh goodness.. injection sounds really unpleasant but thank you both for your honesty @SwedishEdith@MiddleChildHits40 . DD has already said that she’d much prefer it under GA, if I’m honest I’d feel the same way so fingers crossed they could facilitate this for her. Will have to see what our health insurance company and consultant say!

Are you sure you’re on the right thread?

Sorry to hear this, sounds really tough. If anything this thread is heavily showing the cracks in GP assessment and treatment.. absolutely ridiculous that they managed to miss a perforation for so long. Not good enough!

The ENT did discuss the possibility of an acoustic neuroma.. definitely nervous to get her MRI results back, it’s going to be a long week for both of us! We have been told that they’re very rare though so fingers firmly crossed for a clear scan. Very nice and encouraging to hear that your relative has been able to live a normal life even with the diagnosis!

Yes I had the same with my son. Took him to an ENT who immediately emphasised the importance of giving him a strong steroid. All was well afterwards in ds's case but the sooner the better.

How long did it take for his hearing to return?

I have single sided hearing loss, unfortunately steroids didn't help me.
I had oral treatment then the injection.
The injection was fine during the procedure, filled my ear with EMLA cream so couldn't feel it, but for about 4 hours afterwards I couldn't move as I felt so sick and dizzy. Like the worst seasickness ever. I think quite unusual as they were talking about admitting me but eventually cleared enough to go home. Felt unbalanced for about a week.
Didn't help my hearing but I had a delay of about a month between hearing loss and treatment.
Sounds like prompt treatment is happening for your DD so that's positive for her.

Stressedespresso

“How long did it take for his hearing to return?”

hard to say exactly as he only had a small
loss but I think it was over a couple of days.

My DD had gradual hearing loss 3yrs ago and has eventually been diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder for which there's unfortunately no cure. Incredibly rare for adults to develop this - much more common in babies / young children.

She was 23 yrs old at the time and it had a huge effect on her mental health at the time together with feeling very isolated. She is doing much better now and is a full time teacher. She has loss in both ears and hearing aids don't work for her as it's the speech perception she struggles with most. She manages by lip reading (almost subconsciously) and can hear female voices much better than male voices.

Anyway there is light at the end of the tunnel but I'm so sorry you're all going through this. It was such a stressful time and the only thing you can do is be her advocate and fight for referrals and tests etc.

DH and DN both had this in 2019. DH had steroids (which was a nightmare - it actually felt like being married to the hulk, he was so rage-y). His hearing did gradually return, though with some loss and tinnitus. DN also regained some hearing but now uses aids. DN's treatment was all through NHS. DH initially went private. In both instances, it seemed as though the treatment was steroids and crossing fingers that hearing returned. Both cases were result of cold type viruses that resulted in nerve damage in the ear.

My brother had an accoustic neuroma too, the only initial symptom was sudden hearing loss in one ear.
As you say, they are extremely rare, and he was told that he'd probably had it for years as they grow very slowly. He's also fine now after it was operated on, and has no after affects, except for the hearing loss.

Yes.. the steroid side effects are a nightmare! Poor DD has barely slept in a week and is constantly hungry on them. I’ve noticed that her moods seem to be on an absolute rollercoaster - can go from really depressed/angry/anxious one minute to perfectly fine and happy the next. I do think though that the stress and isolation which the hearing loss has brought definitely isn’t helping things either though

I don’t want to come across as flippant and I’m not someone who blames covid for everything but the last time I had covid, it affected my hearing on one side terribly and suddenly, lasted a couple of weeks.

I hope you and your daughter get some answers/relief soon.