• Reference Number: HEY1601/2025
• Departments: ENT
• Last Updated: 30 June 2025

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information on Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your healthcare professional but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for you.

What is the cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL)?

The cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is usually deemed idiopathic which means the cause of the hearing loss is not always found.

This type of hearing loss is due to a problem with the nerve of hearing, and usually only happens in one ear and may include symptoms such as dizziness and tinnitus. SSNHL occurs within a 3-day period and people often describe a ‘complete deafness’ in the ear. Medical attention should be gained as soon as possible for full assessment, examination, hearing test and commencement of steroid treatment as appropriate.

What tests will need to be done?

An urgent hearing test should be completed to confirm diagnosis of SSNHL, if confirmed this will then be repeated on completion of initial steroid treatment at an outpatient clinic review.  An MRI scan may be requested to rule out any causes of SSNHL. Less than 1% of SSNHL is due to a benign (non-cancerous) tumour on the nerve of hearing called a ‘vestibular schwannoma’ an MRI will look for this.

How is SSNHL treated?

The main treatment for SSNHL is steroids. It is recommended that oral steroids should be commenced as soon as possible to ensure the best hearing recovery. If after discussion with a healthcare provider, it may be more appropriate for watchful waiting due to the side effects of steroids. Half of patients may get their hearing back without treatment; however, this is difficult to predict.

If first line treatment does not work or there has been minimal improvement, ‘Salvage therapy’ may be offered by an ENT consultant, which includes intratympanic steroids. Intratympanic steroids is a steroid injection which is injected directly into the ear through the ear drum (this can be offered up to 6 weeks after onset).

Side effects are different with each treatment but may include anxiety, pain, dizziness, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, depression, or sleep problems.

Severe side effects from steroid injections are very rare, with most side effects being mild and short terms. Possible side effects may include.

Less than half of people: Mild ear discomfort

Less than 1 in 4 people: Temporary dizziness that lasts a couple of minutes

Less than 1 in 20 people: Ear infection

Less than 1 in 100 people: Permanent hole in the ear drum

Very rare (less then 1 in 1000): Allergic reaction, further hearing loss in the injected ear

Will my hearing return to normal?

Half of patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss recover at least some of their hearing without treatment. The earlier treatment is commenced with steroids, the better the chances of hearing recovery. Patients with mild to moderate hearing loss are in the ‘steroid effective zone’ and have a high chance of recovery with steroids (over 75%). Patients with profound hearing loss, with associated dizziness and above the age of 65 have a lower chance of recovery. Hearing can take up to 6 weeks or more to return even after treatment has finished.

What else can I expect?

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can be frightening, frustrating and can cause anxiety, loneliness, isolation and depression. If you are struggling with tinnitus (loud ringing in the ear) information and advice can be given to help you manage this. At onset of hearing loss, the tinnitus can be loud and unbearable however as hearing hopefully improves this should reduce. If you do not experience full hearing recovery it may be appropriate to refer you to audiology for assessment for hearing aids or other devices.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.