Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg | Volume 2, Issue 6 | Review Article | Open Access

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: An Updated Review

Jose Luis Trevino Gonzalez^*, Elizabeth Villarreal Navarro S, Miroslava Perez Pena A, Gonzalez-Gonzalez RH and Garza Osoria CA

Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Nuevo Leon, Mexico

^*Correspondance to: Jose Luis Trevino Gonzalez 

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Abstract

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss is an unexplained and suddenly appearing hearing loss that occurs over less than a 72 h period and most cases are unilateral and idiopathic. It often presents in the prime of mid-life between 43 years to 53 years of age, with equal sex distribution. This diminish of hearing can be severe in some patients while mild in others and it may be accompanied by tinnitus and vertigo, among other symptoms. It has a multifactorial etiology and, in most cases, uncertain, this has led to many different therapeutic approaches, including corticosteroids, antiviral agents, hyperbaric oxygen, and others. Glucocorticoids are considered first line of therapy, more commonly administrated orally or other times locally by intratympanic injections. Intratympanic injections are commonly used when hearing does not recover after systemic treatment. Combination of systemic and local glucocorticoid therapy may be considered in patients with profound loss of hearing. However, neither of these approaches has been established as official or superior due to a lack of strong evidence for the efficacy of any of these treatments. More clinical trials are needed to establish a definitive management. We reviewed the latest and most recent studies that compare different treatment methods and provide an update on Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss’ epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords:

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss; Intratympanic steroids; dBHL

Citation:

Trevino Gonzalez JL, Elizabeth Villarreal Navarro S, Miroslava Perez Pena A, Gonzalez-Gonzalez RH, Garza Osoria CA. Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: An Updated Review. Am J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;2(6):1056.