Why does partial deafness occur with a cold

Hearing loss runs in some families, or may be caused by a birth defects, infections, or medicines that damage the ear. But you can do something about noise-induced hearing loss. A sudden loud noise like an explosion or being around loud sounds over time can damage the tiny hair cells of the inner ear, making it hard to hear.

Have you ever heard a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears after going to a party, concert, or other really loud event? This is called tinnitus pronounced: TIN-ih-tus. It usually gets better over a day or two. But tinnitus or a muffled feeling in your ears is a sign that there is some damage to the hair cells in your ear. Hair cells take sound waves and change them to electrical signals that are sent to the brain.

When the hair cells are damaged, they can't send sound signals as well as they did before. Tinnitus and hearing loss may not go away if you listen to loud music or hear loud sounds over and over again.

Joy Victory has extensive experience editing consumer health information. Her training in particular has focused on how to best communicate evidence-based medical guidelines and clinical trial results to the public. She strives to make health content accurate, accessible and engaging to the public. Read more about Joy. Side Menu. Assistive listening devices Amplified phones Captioned phones Hearing aid compatible phones TV hearing aid and listening devices FM systems Alerting devices.

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Home Report Sudden hearing loss in one ear Woman with sudden deafness in one ear. What is sudden hearing loss? I suddenly can't hear well out of one ear. What should I do? Symptoms of sudden hearing loss Some people notice sudden hearing loss when they wake up first thing in the morning and realize their hearing is different.

Some possible known risk factors and causes include: Bacterial infection Viral infection Inner ear disorders, especially Meniere's disease Migraines Tumors e. COVID and sudden hearing loss Given that viral infections are thought to be one of the most common causes of sudden hearing loss, is the same true for COVID, the novel coronavirus that triggered a pandemic? What about the vaccines? Other viruses Quite a few viruses , some of them life-threatening, can cause hearing loss, either gradual or sudden.

Testing for sudden hearing loss If you suspect you might have SSNHL, the first step is to make an appointment with a hearing healthcare professional. With prompt treatment, you have a good chance of regaining some or all of your lost hearing.

Steroid therapy for SSNHL This treatment via injection, called intratympanic corticosteroid therapy , is recommended for those who are unable to take oral steroids. Joy Victory , managing editor , Healthy Hearing Joy Victory has extensive experience editing consumer health information.

Nov 8. Nov 4. Nov 2. Nov 1. Find a clinic. Find a trusted clinic near me:. Such disorders include a tumor of the auditory nerve called acoustic neuroma Vestibular Schwannoma A vestibular schwannoma also known as an acoustic neuroma is a noncancerous benign tumor that originates in the cells that wrap around the vestibular nerve Schwann cells. These tumors The cause Sometimes a syphilis infection Syphilis Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum.

Syphilis can occur in three stages of symptoms, separated by periods of apparent good health. It begins HIV is transmitted This reactivation can cause sudden hearing loss. Rarer disorders include Cogan syndrome Cogan Syndrome Cogan syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease of the eye that can affect the cornea.

Eye pain, decreased vision, increased sensitivity to bright light, and redness of the eye are common symptoms Vasculitis can be triggered by certain infections or drugs or can occur for unknown reasons.

People may have Although many people White blood cells develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. Sometimes the development goes awry The following information can help people decide when a doctor's evaluation is needed and help them know what to expect during the evaluation.

Anyone with sudden hearing loss should see a doctor right away because some causes must be treated quickly. If symptoms of dysfunction of the nervous system other than hearing loss are present, hearing loss may be a symptom of nerve or brain dysfunction.

Doctors first ask questions about the person's symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical examination. What they find during the history and physical examination may suggest a cause of the sudden hearing loss and the tests that may need to be done. Doctors note whether hearing loss affects one or both ears and whether a specific event such as head injury Overview of Head Injuries Head injuries that involve the brain are particularly concerning.

Common causes of head injuries include falls, motor vehicle crashes, assaults, and mishaps during sports and recreational activities The lungs, gastrointestinal tract, part of the face covered They ask about accompanying symptoms that involve the ear such as ringing in the ears or ear discharge , balance center such as disorientation in the dark or vertigo , and other parts of the brain and nervous system such as headache, weakness, or an abnormal sense of taste.

They try to identify whether people are currently taking or recently took any ototoxic drugs Ear Disorders Caused by Drugs Many drugs can damage the ears ototoxic drugs.

The physical examination focuses on the ears and hearing and on examination of the nervous system. Unless doctors think the problem is clearly an acute infection or drug toxicity, they usually also do gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging MRI or computed tomography CT , particularly when the hearing loss is greater in one ear.

Other tests are done based on the likely cause. For example, people who had a head injury should have MRI. People at risk of sexually transmitted diseases should have blood tests for HIV infection and syphilis.

Treatment is directed at any known cause of the sudden hearing loss. When the cause is unknown, most doctors try giving corticosteroids. In addition, doctors may also prescribe antiviral drugs effective against herpes simplex such as valacyclovir or famciclovir , even though there is no good evidence that antiviral drugs are beneficial. When the cause is unknown, about half of people regain normal hearing and hearing is partially recovered in others.

Improvement, if it can be achieved, usually occurs within 10 to 14 days.