HBOT heals Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Patient with hearing loss putting fingers to ear

HBOT heals Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) increases blood flow and transports more oxygen through the plasma to the inner ear and nerve cells, thus reducing hypoxia. HBOT has been shown to reduce inflammation and promote stem cell growth and mobilization. It is also bacteriocidal.

The cochlea and the structures within it require a high oxygen supply. HBOT dissolves extra oxygen into the plasma. Tissue oxygenation to these structures occurs via oxygen diffusion from cochlear capillary networks into the perilymph and corilymph. Perilymph oxygen tension decreases significantly with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). Although normobaric hyperoxygenation increases intracochlear oxygen tensions, only HBOT achieves extremely high arterial perilymphatic oxygen concentration in human and animal studies.

Patients who present with ISSHL, within 14 days and have a moderate or greater severity 40dB are the most likely to improve according to studies. However, The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Foundation recommends considering treatment up to three months from the symptom onset.

Our experience reflects the studies. Early intervention with HBOT yields the greatest improvement. Additionally, we have also had some success with patients getting HBOT between the 14 to 90 day window of onset. See Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss Article below.

HBOT Treatment Recommendation
For sudden hearing loss, most physicians recommend 100% oxygen at 2-2.5 ATA for 90 minutes daily for 10-20 treatments. All patients have to return to their ENT to be tested to know for sure how much of their hearing they have regained. Most patients respond slowly, and some do not notice changes until they are near the end of their treatments. And there are those unfortunate few who do not regain their hearing even after all their treatments. There are some who regain enough hearing so they can hear with the use of a hearing aid. Continue reading
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Hyperbarics Heals Sudden Deafness
How Hyperbaric Therapy Helps
  • Speeds recovery and rehabilitation
  • Induces neuroplasticity
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Mobilizes stem cells
  • Increases tissue oxygen delivery
  • Stimulates angiogenesis and cell proliferation needed for axonal regeneration
  • Enhances mitochondrial function (neurons and glial cells)
  • Improves blood-brain barrier reactions
  • Upregulates axon guidance agents
  • Increases levels of neutrophils and nitric oxide
For more details on how HBOT works, see How it works.
Considering if HBOT is appropriate for your patient?

Talk to us, and we’ll help evaluate if HBOT is right for your patient.

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Research on Hyperbaric Therapy

Several studies highlight benefits of HBOT in healing sudden hearing loss:

Patients’ Experiences

Wen-47-Hearing-Loss
Wen, 47
Recovered most of her hearing from HBOT, where steriods didn’t help.
Wen was very upset when she lost her hearing in her right ear. She was given steroid injections in her ear by her ENT. Her ENT then sent her on to our clinic for HBOT treatments. She had slow recovery of about half her normal hearing starting at approximately her 10th treatment. Although Wen did not recover all of her hearing when she finished her prescribed treatments, she had recovered quite a bit of her hearing and did not require a hearing aid.
Continue reading
John-46-Piano-Tuner
John, 42
Healed from sudden deafness and resumed work as a piano tuner.
John, was a colorful and lively man, who made his living as a piano tuner. He came into our clinic with sudden deafness and distressed because of course, hearing was critical for his livelihood and he needed to pay his rent. John was able to target the exact day that his hearing returned: After his 16th treatment, his hearing returned sufficiently so that he could return to tuning pianos! He was elated, and decided to continue with all of his prescribed 20 treatments, to regain the remaining of his hearing.
Continue reading
George
George, 65
Regained his full hearing capacity right after his fifth session of HBOT.
George experienced a remarkable and very unusual recovery in our clinic. During his fifth treatment session, he regained his full hearing! In our experience, treating sudden deafness takes time. Even though he regained his hearing, George decided to complete all 20 prescribed sessions to ensure the recovery was permanent.
Continue reading
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Refer a Patient

1
Submit your patient’s information

Fill up our brief online referral form, send us an eFax or call us and we can take the information on the phone.

2
We help evaluate if HBOT is appropriate

Our medical team will work with you to evaluate if hyperbaric medicine is appropriate for your patient and covered by insurance.

3
Start HBOT, if appropriate

If our discussion concludes that HBOT is right for your patient, we can get started on treating them.

Refer online eFax telephone (408) 356 - 7438

We’re woman-owned and the longest running
independent hyperbaric clinic in the country.

We’re woman-owned and the longest running independent hyperbaric clinic in the US.

phone (408) 356 - 7438 Have us call you
Nearing 25 Years of Experience

Our highly experienced physicians and technicians have provided almost 100,000 treatments since we opened our doors in 1998.

Pain-free. Non-invasive. Relaxing.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is a painless, relaxing and non-invasive treatment. Our patients often tell us they feel relaxed and alert after their treatment.

Certified & Approved

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is approved by the American Medical Association, Medicare, the FDA, the Mayo Clinic, and insurance companies to treat a variety of conditions.

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San Jose/Los Gatos Clinic

14589 South Bascom Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95032

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Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – Noon

Office Hours
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