You got Blasted by Loud Music or Noise and now Your Ears are Ringing and You LOST hearing

The best thing is to see your local Ear Doctor right away or within a few days.  Treat this like a medical EMERGENCY!  Do NOT wait more than 24 hours to call.  Your best chance of recovery is if you get treatment right away.  Treatment should be initiated no later than 2 weeks, but much sooner if possible!!

Think about sudden hearing loss like someone who has a heart attack in front of you at the Grocery store.  You want to do CPR right away.  You don't excuse yourself to finish your shopping before you get around to do the chest compressions... right?  The sooner you start CPR, the better your patient will do.  The same is true of your hearing.

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology's 2015 Sudden Hearing Loss guidelines, CPR for sudden hearing loss usually involves Steroids and or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  The sooner you start these measures, the better your outcome.

As an Ear Doc, I see many patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing loss... and unfortunately, many of these patients waited too long... up to months before seeking care after it became too late to save their hearing!  Please don't be one of those people!!

Note that the Sudden Sensorineural Hearing loss does not have to be noise induced.  The hearing loss can be from a virus, a trauma, or for any other reason.  The treatment is usually still limited to a course of Steroids.  (60 mg of Prednisone tapered down over about 6-14 days)

Treat as an Emergency!!

This applies to Sudden Onset Tinnitus and Hyperacusis too. In fact, in any significant loss of nerve function, Steroids should be considered.

Usual treatment Protocol for Sudden Hearing Loss

  1. ENT Exam

  2. Audiology Testing

  3. Steroids - Get on it right away!

  4. Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy within 2 weeks if possible

  5. Antivirals - Controversial, but probably harmless. Some have noted benefit.

  6. There are lots of questionable home remedies — AVOID!