Sudden Deafness | Bay Area Hyperbarics

HBOT Helps Heal Sudden Deafness

Have you experienced sudden hearing loss? It’s scary when you suddenly lose your hearing, whether it’s in one ear or both. However, one of the best things you can do is get into a hyperbaric chamber. Here’s a closer look at what sudden deafness is, and how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can treat it.

What is Sudden Deafness?

Sudden deafness, or sensorineural sudden hearing loss (SSHL), occurs when you quickly lose your hearing. This generally happens in one ear and may occur instantly or over several days. SSHL is the most common type of hearing loss among adults between the ages of 30 and 60 years old, and around 4,000 cases of sudden deafness are diagnosed each year within the U.S.

According to National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, about half of the people who have sudden hearing loss will recover within two weeks if they receive hyperbaric treatment for hearing loss. However, for some people, the condition grows worse over time, particularly if they don’t receive prompt treatment.

What are the Symptoms of Sudden Deafness

Most people only experience hearing loss in one ear with sudden deafness. You might notice it right after waking up in the morning, or when you hold a phone up to the affected ear or use headphones. In some cases, you may even hear a popping sound before you lose hearing. Other common symptoms include the following: Trouble hearing sounds that are high-pitched Buzzing or ringing sounds in the ear known as tinnitus Difficulty following conversations in a group Dizziness Inability to hear well if there’s significant background noise Conversation sounds become muffled Balance difficulties span ∘ Trouble hearing sounds that are high-pitched
∘ Buzzing or ringing sounds in the ear known as tinnitus
∘ Difficulty following conversations in a group
∘ Dizziness
∘ Inability to hear well if there’s significant background noise
∘ Conversation sounds become muffled
∘ Balance difficulties

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Research on Sudden Hearing Loss

How HBOT Works as a Sudden Hearing Loss Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been recognized by the FDA and Medicare to help heal sudden hearing loss, including healing sensorineural hearing loss or conductive hearing loss. In essence, HBOT provides oxygen under pressure, during an HBOT treatment we will inject oxygen into your damaged nerve cells, helping to regrow the nerve fibers that have been injured. The challenge is that doctors often do not know why the nerve cells have been damaged, whether it’s because of a virus, or other factors.

However, researchers have discovered that patients who include oxygen therapy as part of their treatment were 61% more likely to enjoy complete recovery of their hearing. Although HBOT has been proven particularly useful as a nerve deafness treatment in those under the age of 60, we have seen patients of up to 75 years old recover their full hearing capacity from HBOT treatments.

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George, 75

Regained his full hearing capacity right after his first session of HBOT.

George experienced a miraculous recovery in our clinic. During his first treatment session, he regained his full hearing. Nonetheless, George completed all 20 prescribed sessions, just to ensure the recovery was permanent. Most patients respond more slowly, and some do not notice changes until they are near the end of their treatments. We were deeply happy that George's hearing returned to normal.

Wen, 47

Recovered most of her hearing from HBOT treatment, when injecting steriods didn’t help.

Wen lost her hearing in her right ear. She was given steroid injections in her ear by her Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctor, but the steroids did not help. Her ENT then sent her to our clinic for HBOT treatments. Wen recovered approximately half of her normal hearing after approximately her 10th treatment. After having completed her hyperbaric sessions, she had recovered a good deal, but did not experience a total recovery.

John, 46

Got healed from sudden deafness and was able to resume work as a piano tuner.

John, a piano tuner, came into our clinic with sudden deafness. Of course, hearing was critical for his livelihood (but also for him personally). John was able to target the exact day that his hearing returned. After his 16th treatment, his hearing returned sufficiently that he could return to tuning pianos! He was elated, and decided to continue with all of his prescribed 20treatments, to regain 100% of his hearing

The Importance of Early Treatment for Sudden Hearing Loss Recovery

Research shows that the key to reaping the benefits of HBOT for sudden hearing loss treatment is receiving the treatment early. Soon after you experience symptoms associated with sudden deafness, see your doctor right away and then call us! We consider sudden deafness as an emergency at our clinic and can ensure you receive same day treatment whenever possible. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, it’s recommended that HBOT is used within three months of initial diagnosis.

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HBOT Helps Heal Sudden Deafness

How HBOT Works as a Sudden Hearing Loss Treatment