Sudden Temporary Hearing Loss

When most people describe hearing loss and the journey of finding a professional hearing aid that allows them to regain their lifestyle, they’re describing gradual hearing loss that can often sneak up on a person. However, not all hearing loss is so gradual. Whether you’ve just encountered a loud event or suddenly find it difficult to hear certain frequencies, sudden temporary hearing loss affects many people and could be a sign of an underlying issue. In most cases, fortunately, the effects are temporary, although people should take it as a sign to better protect their hearing for the long term.

What is Sudden Temporary Hearing Loss?

Fortunately, sudden temporary hearing loss is aptly named. Sometimes referred to as sudden deafness, it’s the experience of some type of hearing loss (specific frequencies or general hearing ability) instantly or quickly over the course of just a few days (as opposed to months or years). This can be a troubling development for people of all ages, but it’s usually able to be quickly remedied, especially if no injury occurred to your ear or head in the time you experienced the loss of hearing.

Symptoms of Sudden Hearing Loss

Just like with gradual or age-related hearing loss, there are multiple symptoms associated with the disorder. Commonly, sudden temporary hearing loss only affects one ear – this is medically described as being unilateral hearing loss.

Symptoms people experience with sudden hearing loss include:

• Muffled hearing
• Difficulty discerning conversations or other noises when background noise is present
• Trouble following along with conversations
• Loss of hearing of high pitches
• Dizziness
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

Causes of Sudden Hearing Loss

There are arguably fewer possible causes of sudden hearing loss than for gradual hearing loss, as many gradual hearing loss causes involve slow-moving body processes or cumulative degradation that wouldn’t contribute to sudden symptoms. The most common causes include the following:

• Physical obstruction (ear wax or foreign object)
• Exposure to loud noise
• Injury or head trauma
• Ototoxic compounds
• Ear infections

Treating Sudden Temporary Hearing Loss

You may be able to see based on the various causes of sudden hearing loss how each disorder or circumstance may be treated. If you’re taking medications that contain ototoxic (literally, “ear poisoning”) compounds, your doctor may be able to change prescriptions. If there’s a buildup of earwax, they can clean your ear out. Injuries may or may not cause permanent damage, so the best way to treat hearing loss due to head or ear injury is to wait for the area to heal. Finally, ear infections should be treated with the appropriate antibiotics or antifungal medication.

In the case of loud noise exposure, your doctor should recommend a better course of preventative care for your hearing to prevent sudden hearing loss and permanent damage to your hearing in the future. This includes, in part, using headphones or ear plugs when you know you’ll be exposed to loud noises, such as explosions, construction noise, or loud concerts. This ensures you’re able to work or enjoy leisure time while keeping your hearing as well-protected as possible for both the days and years to come.

Hearing Loss Solutions in Georgia

We hate for any event or ear condition to result in permanent ear damage that impairs a person’s ability to navigate their life unassisted. For those who do need help, however, Georgia Hearing Aid Factory Outlet is here to provide professional-grade hearing aids that integrate seamlessly into anyone’s lifestyle. Learn more about your options for hearing aids online or visit the nearest location to get tested and try out our hearing aids today.