Steroids help combat sudden hearing loss

18 September 2006

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) may be helped with steroid treatment in the ear.

SSHL can occur suddenly in one ear, and generally within three days, causing a 30-plus decibel hearing loss at three consecutive frequencies. The cause is unclear, but research has indicated that viral infection, vascular compromise and immunologic diseases could be key reasons for this hearing disorder. Standard treatment has been systemic steroid treatment - high-dose oral steroids.

Researchers in Spain found that administering steroids directly into the middle ear significantly improved the outcome of SSHL after intravenous steroid treatment.

The inner ear absorbs the steroids without the side effects associated with steroids taken by mouth.

The findings are being presented at the 110th American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAOHNS) annual meeting in Toronto.

Source: AAOHNS press release
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