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Sudden Hearing Loss Causes

Sudden hearing loss causes have many variables

...And it depends what type of hearing loss you have. Sometimes these conditions can correct themselves or are easy to treat. And sometimes not...as with my father. His story is below. Some cases are more difficult to diagnose. It basically becomes a guessing game. In fact, at this time the sudden hearing loss causes in many patients remains a medical mystery. And unless a specific cause is known, it is difficult to pinpoint effective treatment.

With sudden conductive hearing loss in the middle hear, which conducts sound, sudden hearing loss causes may be easier to pinpoint and treat. With sudden sensorineural hearing loss in the inner ear, it is estimated there are over a hundred causes. Only about 15 percent of patients are able to determine the cause, and it is often not related to elderly issues. Below is a brief review of possible sudden hearing loss causes – and these are just a few of the most common.

Some causes of sudden conductive hearing loss:

A loud, high-decibel noise, such as a gun shot (war veterans often suffer from sudden hearing loss)
A head injury, or serious sinus condition or bad cold
Build up of ear wax
A middle ear infection or inflammation
Fluid in the ear from imbalanced ear pressure, which can become thick and gluey
Scaly build up of cells (some can be cancerous)
A foreign body in the ear canal
A tumor
A perforation

Some sudden sensorineural hearing loss causes:

Genetics
Auto-immune disorder
Infections
Some types of leukemia
High exposure to pesticides
Certain medications (i.e., some antibiotics, cancer drugs, & diuretics)
Meningitis
Circulatory problems
Head injury
Subjection to repetitive loud noise
Frequent flying (due to altitude and air pressure changes)
Frequent diving
Meniere’s Disease (a hearing vs. balance disorder)
Tumors
Syphilis
Lyme’s Disease
Certain viruses (i.e. some herpes viruses, measles, mumps, some influenza, mononucleosis)
Serious diabetic conditions
Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Then there is the all-encompassing diagnosis of “idiopathic” – meaning, no one really knows what happened, or what the sudden hearing loss causes are.

When my father was in his late 80s, he went swimming several times a week. One day, as usual, he took a gentle dip under the water. When he came up, he’d lost his hearing, permanently, in one ear. His ear specialist told him that of all the sudden hearing loss causes, it may have been due to the high-frequency noise of dental drills he had been around throughout his career as a dentist. Sudden hearing loss had just suddenly hit. And in his case, a hearing aid did not work in that ear. It was irreversible and it was total.

Sometimes we can tell when it happens – Dad experienced a popping feeling and ringing in his ear (tinnitus) at the time. Other people have experienced dizziness (sense of balance is connected to the ear). Other symptoms can be a headache or a full feeling in the ear.

Whatever the causes or situation, it is urgent that the person see a doctor immediately. Don’t assume it’s something that “just kinda happened” and will probably go away. Permanent damage may be caused if you don’t get timely treatment.

Also read about:
Sudden Hearing Loss – an overview.
Sudden Hearing Loss Treatments – there are some that can even reverse damage, depending on the cause.
High Frequency Hearing Loss – and the solutions that can help when certain frequencies such as women's and children's voices and soft sounds can no longer be heard.
Hearing Loss Symptoms – how can you tell if it’s the real thing.

Return from Sudden Hearing Loss Causes,
back to What Is Hearing Loss

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