Earphone Use Increasing Among Young People
High-Pressure Oxygen Therapy Excels in Hearing Recovery
Choosing Hospitals Capable of Auditory Rehabilitation Is Essential
How flustered would you be if you suddenly couldn't hear any sound? Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) may be an unfamiliar disease, but in reality, a significant number of patients visit ENT clinics due to a sudden drop in hearing and are diagnosed and treated for SSNHL. This condition usually involves a rapid loss of hearing in one ear, but symptoms can also include a feeling of fullness as if water has entered the ear, or sudden onset tinnitus such as a "ringing" or "buzzing" sound. Therefore, a visit to an ENT clinic is essential to accurately determine whether it is truly SSNHL.
We asked Park Eunho, director of Park Eunho ENT Clinic in Gwangju, about the symptoms and treatments for SSNHL.
◆ Causes and necessary examinations for SSNHL
SSNHL is defined as a hearing loss of 30 dB or more over at least three consecutive frequencies occurring within three days, and it can be diagnosed through a pure-tone audiometry test. Although the exact cause is still unknown, viral infections and vascular disorders are considered the main causes, and in some cases, cochlear nerve tumors, autoimmune diseases, inner ear disorders, or neurological diseases may also be responsible.
SSNHL is diagnosed after excluding other diseases that may cause hearing loss, so it is important to receive an accurate diagnosis from an ENT specialist, including an examination of the eardrum and checking for other ear diseases such as otitis media. It is known that about 1 in 100 cases of SSNHL are caused by cochlear nerve tumors, so an MRI scan may be necessary for accurate differentiation.
If SSNHL is suspected, it is most important to choose a specialized hospital with ENT specialists, professional medical facilities, and audiologists for precise hearing tests.
◆ Increasing trend every year
SSNHL is known to occur mainly in people in their 30s to 50s. However, it can affect anyone regardless of age, and since it occurs suddenly without any warning signs, there is no specific way to prevent it.
Among younger people, possible causes include prolonged use of mobile phones, exposure to noise, stimulation from amplified sound sources such as AirPods and other audio devices, as well as decreased physical immunity due to mental stress.
◆ The treatment golden time is 'within 3 to 7 days'
Among patients who receive treatment within the golden window of 3 to 7 days, only 1 out of 3 will recover their original hearing. Another 1 may experience partial recovery, but not to their previous level, and the remaining 1 may not recover at all or may even experience further hearing loss. If treatment is started after 7 days, the chances of hearing recovery decrease significantly, making the timing of treatment crucial.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology recommends starting treatment within 14 days if the golden window for SSNHL has been missed. If treatment is started 1 to 3 months after the onset of hearing loss, the chances of recovery are extremely low.
For this reason, if you experience symptoms of hearing loss, it is important to visit an ENT clinic as soon as possible for an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment. Because the timing of initial treatment greatly affects the prognosis for hearing recovery, SSNHL is considered an emergency condition in the ENT field.
◆ Treatment methods
Until now, steroids have been used as the main treatment. Steroids are administered orally and intravenously for a certain period, and at the same time, intratympanic steroid injections are performed.
Recently, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which supplies high-concentration oxygen to the body, has been reported to be highly effective for hearing recovery, and this treatment is now recommended in the ENT field. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves delivering oxygen at higher-than-atmospheric pressure, allowing more oxygen to dissolve in body fluids. In other words, it increases the oxygen concentration in the blood, helping to heal damaged areas.
Although the cause of SSNHL is often unknown, viral infection and microvascular circulation disorders are believed to be the main causes. In cases where microvascular circulation disorder is the cause, decreased blood flow in the peripheral vessels supplying the cochlear nerve can lead to SSNHL. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which delivers 100% oxygen at 2 to 3 times atmospheric pressure, can effectively supply oxygen even to tiny peripheral vessels, making it highly effective.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is included in the American Academy of Otolaryngology's guidelines for SSNHL, and is recommended as an option along with steroid treatment in cases of severe hearing loss.
◆ When auditory rehabilitation is needed
If hearing does not recover, active auditory rehabilitation is necessary. Depending on the degree of hearing loss and the patient's condition, rehabilitation devices such as hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids, or cochlear implants may be used. ENT clinics with specialized hearing aid centers can provide accurate guidance on disability grading and subsidy benefits, helping patients select appropriate devices and begin auditory rehabilitation immediately.
Director Park Eunho emphasized, "For accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment, it is important to choose a hospital with ENT specialists and professional audiologists. Do not miss the 7-day golden window, and starting hyperbaric oxygen therapy together with steroid treatment from the beginning, depending on the degree of hearing loss, is very important for hearing recovery. Also, for hearing that does not recover, it is important to choose a hospital equipped for auditory rehabilitation."
Information provided by: Park Eunho, Director of Park Eunho ENT Clinic in Gwangju
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