Quality of life is affected by a sudden sensorineural hearing loss
A sudden sensorineural hearing loss that does not recover within a short period of time has a negative impact on long term quality of life and quality of hearing, a Finnish study shows.
The study examined two groups of patients who experienced an unexplained sudden sensorineural hearing loss. In the first group, the patients regained their hearing within a short period of time. In the second group, the hearing did not recover. The patients were examined on average 8 years after the onset of the sudden hearing loss.
The quality of life was significantly better in the group that had regained their hearing. Also, general hearing (not surprisingly) and vitality was significantly better in the first group. The patients without recovery also had more tinnitus and balance problems than those who regained their hearing after the sudden hearing loss.
Tinnitus and vertigo
85% of all the patients experienced tinnitus. 23% of the patients who had recovered a sudden sensorineural hearing loss experienced vertigo, while 54% of those who did not regain hearing lived with vertigo.
About the study
The study was made at the Tampere University Hospital in Finland among 172 patients, who had experienced an unexplained sudden sensorineural hearing loss. 100 patients had recovered, while 72 did not have any hearing recovery.
The sudden sensorineural hearing loss was in the study defined as a decrease of 30 dB or more in at least three contiguous frequencies occurring within 72 hours in the affected ear and normal hearing in the other ear.
The study “Quality of life and hearing Eight Years After Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss” was published in the Laryngoscope 127, April 2017.
Source: The Laryngoscope