Health conditions common in older people, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can contribute to hearing loss. Viruses and bacteria (including the ear infection otitis media), a heart condition, stroke, brain injury, or a tumor may also affect your hearing.5

What is the most common cause of sudden hearing loss?

Age, genetics, and damage to the ear are among the most common causes of hearing loss. About one in eight Americans have hearing loss in both ears, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

What virus causes sudden hearing loss?

Viruses causing Acquired Hearing Loss Common viruses that can cause acquired hearing loss include measles, Varicella-Zoster Virus (the virus that causes Chicken Pox and Shingles), and the mumps.

Can deafness come on suddenly?

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is also known as sudden deafness. It occurs when you lose your hearing very quickly, typically only in one ear. It can happen instantly or over a span of several days. During this time, sound gradually becomes muffled or faint.

Why have I suddenly gone deaf?

Hearing loss can have many different causes. For example: sudden hearing loss in 1 ear may be due to earwax, an ear infection, a perforated (burst) eardrum or Ménière’s disease. sudden hearing loss in both ears may be due to damage from a very loud noise, or taking certain medicines that can affect hearing.

What is a mini stroke in the ear?

Ear stroke is also known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss. In as short as three days, the patients will suddenly lose part or all of their hearing ability. Meanwhile, they may experience sudden dizziness, tinnitus and earache.

How do you treat sudden deafness?

How is sudden deafness treated? The most common treatment for sudden deafness, especially in cases where the cause is unknown, is corticosteroids. Steroids are used to treat many different disorders and usually work by reducing inflammation, decreasing swelling, and helping the body fight illness.

What medications can cause sudden hearing loss?

Commonly used medicines that may cause hearing loss include:

• Aspirin, when large doses (8 to 12 pills a day) are taken.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
• Certain antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin, streptomycin, and neomycin).

Can a mini stroke cause hearing loss?

Stroke may affect all levels of the auditory pathway and lead to hearing reception and/or perception deficits. Sudden-onset hearing loss after stroke of the vertebrobasilar territory and/or low brainstem is one of the less frequent neurologic impairments, while cortical or central deafness is even rarer.

Is losing your hearing a symptom of coronavirus?

Coronavirus and hearing loss Based on published case reports, it appears that sudden hearing loss is rarely a symptom of coronavirus onset. In a June 2020 report, several Iranian patients reported hearing loss in one ear, as well as vertigo.

Can’t hear from one ear all of a sudden?

The most common reasons for a sudden bout of hearing loss in one ear are believed to be blockages, damage, medication side effects, or a viral inner ear infection. However, it’s important to note that the cause for sudden hearing loss is unknown in about 90% of all the cases that are diagnosed.

What does sudden ringing in one ear mean?

Tinnitus is usually caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system. For many people, tinnitus improves with treatment of the underlying cause or with other treatments that reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.

What is Cogan syndrome?

Cogan syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the eyes and inner ears. Symptoms of the syndrome include irritation and pain in the eyes, decreased vision, hearing loss, and vertigo. Other symptoms may include joint or muscle pain or inflammation of the blood vessels.

Can earwax cause sudden hearing loss?

Accumulation of earwax As a general rule, earwax falls out of your ear canal naturally, but there are times when the wax becomes impacted or stuck in the ear canal. This blockage can cause sudden loss of hearing in one or both ears, hindering the ability of sound waves to travel through the ear canal to the ear drum.

What is called for a temporary hearing loss?

Temporary or permanent hearing loss A temporary hearing loss is also called a temporary threshold shift. A permanent hearing loss is called a permanent threshold shift.