Synonyms
acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss
Definition
The sudden hearing loss describes a usually acute hearing loss of unclear cause. The sudden deafness is usually limited to one ear, but in rare cases it can also occur on both sides. It is characterized by a hearing loss that can vary from a slight hearing loss to absolute deafness.
Primary symptoms of sudden deafness are acute and subjective hearing loss in one ear. This occurs suddenly, i.e. within 24 hours. The hearing loss can affect only one, but also several frequencies (pitches).
A ringing in the affected ear (tinnitus) and a feeling of pressure in the affected ear are further symptoms of sudden hearing loss. Patients usually describe these symptoms as the feeling of hearing everything only through an earplug or absorbent cotton. Furthermore, dizziness may occur (see: Dizziness caused by diseases of the ear).
This means that the spatial perception is generally disturbed and one has the feeling that one’s own body or the space around one is swaying. A furry feeling around the auricle (periaural dysesthesia) is also considered a symptom of sudden hearing loss. This is described as an anaesthetized or “wadded” feeling of the skin on the affected ear and the skin around the ear.
Other symptoms and hearing disorders associated with sudden deafness are Dysacusis is generally understood to be a hearing loss. This can manifest itself through an inaccurate understanding of texts, words or sounds, but also through a distorted hearing perception or an increased (hyperacusis) or decreased (hypoacusis) hearing perception. Likewise, sounds can be perceived differently in both ears, i.e. the sick and the healthy ear.
A diplacusis is a so-called double-tone hearing, i.e. a double perception of a tone. This happens either through the different perceptions of both ears or echo-like hearing in the affected ear. Directional hearing can also be limited.
It is no longer possible to assign sounds to their place of origin because directional hearing is impaired by the diseased ear. Secondary symptoms are accompanying symptoms that only occur in the course of the disease. Often these are also triggered by the disease itself.
These include a reduced quality of life due to the hearing impairment. The reduced quality of life is influenced both by the worsened perception of the environment and by the burden of additional symptoms such as tinnitus, dizziness or the feeling of pressure on the ear. Furthermore, an anxiety disorder can also occur in the course of a sudden hearing loss.
This can have its origin in the uncertainty about the disease and the restrictions in everyday life. A sudden deafness is typically a painless disease, so there is no pain in the affected ear or its surroundings.
- Dysacusis (deafness)
- Hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to sounds of normal volume)
- Diplakusis (double tone hearing).
