Establishing the causes of sudden deafness

Deafness Research UK researchers are carrying out a pilot study aimed at establishing the causes of sudden deafness.

Sudden deafness, or idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, is a devastating condition that affects around 5,000 people in the UK each year.

As the name suggests, sufferers can go deaf within a matter of minutes. Many of these people never fully regain their hearing.

Until now the causes of sudden deafness have remained unknown, however previous research has established that blockages of the blood vessel to the ear can cause deafness in under 30 minutes. Our researchers are testing volunteers who have experienced sudden deafness. The aim is to establish if there is a link between blood clots and sudden deafness.

The potential impact of this research is wide-reaching, not just on our ability to develop treatments for the condition but also our ability to identify people at risk of sudden deafness.