Ear "emergency" - sudden deafness

1. How to treat sudden deafness?

The treatment of sudden deafness is mainly based on glucocorticoids and drugs that improve inner ear microcirculation. The treatment methods and drug ratios for different types of hearing loss are slightly different. Early and active comprehensive treatment is beneficial to the patient's prognosis and hearing recovery, and a small number of patients can recover on their own. Drug treatment is usually used continuously for at least one week. If hearing is completely restored during treatment, you can consider stopping the medication. If hearing improvement is not good after treatment, you can consider extending the medication time. A small number of people whose hearing cannot be restored can consider wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants and other auxiliary devices to improve hearing.

2. Which group of people are most likely to suffer from sudden deafness?

Sudden deafness is a common clinical disease, also known as "idiopathic sudden deafness". The specific cause is still unknown. It may be related to viral infection or vascular disease. At present, it often occurs in the following groups:

(1) Sudden deafness in young people is generally believed to be related to viral infection. If young people have insufficient immunity and often catch colds, the probability of suffering from sudden deafness increases.

(2) Many elderly people have underlying diseases, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, cerebral infarction, etc. Over time, these diseases will cause some blood vessels in the brain to form plaques and stenosis, which will lead to sudden deafness. Therefore, elderly people with underlying diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are more likely to suffer from sudden deafness.

3. Can sudden deafness be prevented?

There are no specific preventive measures for sudden deafness because the cause is still unclear. We can pay attention to the following points in our daily life to achieve general prevention:

(1) Control systemic chronic diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes.

(2) Avoid overwork, balance work and rest, and maintain physical and mental well-being.

(3) Strengthen exercise, improve physical fitness, avoid colds, and prevent viral infections.

(4) Maintain a balanced diet and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid stimulants such as tobacco, alcohol, and coffee.

(5) For patients who have suffered from sudden deafness and still have no hearing in the affected ear after treatment, in addition to the above suggestions, special protection should be given to the healthy ear: avoid exposure to noise, avoid ototoxic drugs, avoid ear trauma and ear infection and other risk factors.