What could cause hearing loss?

Question

Hi doctor,

My mother-in-law is suffering from hearing loss for the last 10 days. There is no pain in the ear, but sudden hearing loss. She can hear, but hearing capacity reduced by more than 30%. Please tell me some solution for this. Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. The description of rapid progression of hearing loss in your mother-in-law suggests sudden hearing loss, which requires a detailed history and examination. It is important to determine the onset and progression of the hearing loss, as well as any history of trauma. Additionally, it is crucial to ascertain if she is taking any medications or antibiotics, and if there is a history of tinnitus. Evaluating her ability to discriminate and understand speech is important as well. Given the symptoms, she should undergo investigations to determine the underlying cause, which could be infectious, inflammatory, vascular compromise, or neoplastic. It is advisable to consult an ENT surgeon who can perform audiometry tests, including pure tone and speech discrimination tests, to determine the type and extent of the hearing loss. In some cases, imaging studies such as MRI may be necessary to rule out cerebellopontine tumors. Furthermore, conducting tests like TSH, T3, and T4 can help rule out thyroid disease.