Listen: Don’t ignore sudden hearing loss!

Every hearing naturally decreases with age, and people often have one ear that hears better than the other.

According to a study published in the August edition of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, there are about 66,000 new cases of SHL (hearing loss) per year in the United States. But these numbers are difficult to find because this condition may not be recognized.

“The main reason is that people do not consider this a serious problem and do not receive the medical care they need. This delay increases the risk of permanent hearing loss, “says Dr. Steven Rauch associated with Harvard.

Unknown causes

It is not known what causes SHL, but experts point to several possible causes: viral infection, malfunction of the immune system, otitis inflammation or blocked blood supply to the ear – and even a combination of them.
SHL can affect people of all ages, although it occurs most often in the 1950s and 1960s. Usually it hits one ear. You may hear “popping” or a feeling of ear clogging. “Hearing often doesn’t go away right away,” says Dr. Rauch. “It’s a gradual decline in minutes or even hours like a tire leak.”

In addition to hearing problems, SHL can affect balance, which increases the risk of falls. SHL is ignored because the symptoms seem familiar, e.g. colds, earwax or ear water.

SHL or just a stuffy ear? Humming can tell

How do you know the difference between a normal plugged ear and sudden hearing loss?
Try this test:
Humming loudly to yourself. With normal hearing, the sound is heard evenly in both ears. If you do this when you have one hearing loss in one ear, the humming will switch to one side or the other.

For example, if your right ear is affected and the noise is louder in that ear, hearing loss is more likely loss of conduction, and probably due to blockage by cold or accumulated wax in the ear. (You can simulate this effect by purring, covering your right ear.)

However, if the humming is louder in the left ear, this suggests that the hearing loss in the right ear is due to recent nerve damage and requires immediate medical attention.

(Harvard Health)