Call Us Today 888-512-1164 Or Visit one of Six Convenient Locations

302 Hickman Road, Ste 202 Charlottesville, VA 22911

1534 Jefferson Highway Fishersville, VA 22939

735-D East Market St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801

30 Crossing Lane - Ste. 105-106 Lexington, VA 24450

245 West Main St. Covington, VA 24426

700 Southridge Parkway Suite 309 Culpeper VA 22701

Hearing HealthCare of Virginia

Sudden Hearing Loss: What Causes It?

Sudden loss of hearing is a rapid decrease in your

hearing abilities. It can happen all at once or over

a three day time period. This constitutes a medical

emergency and anyone who experiences this

problem needs to consult with a doctor right away.

Your hearing specialist will be able to determine

whether or not you have experienced sudden loss

of hearing through a battery of routine tests. If there is a hearing loss of

greater than 30 decibels within three connecting frequencies, it is normally

diagnosed as a sudden loss of hearing.

Decibels are the measures of sound. Sounds that are at least 30 decibels

are roughly half the volume of a normal conversation between two

individuals. Frequency is another method used for measuring the volume of

sound. It works by measuring the sound waves in an attempt to determine

what is going to make one sound different from that of another sound.

Loss of hearing only affects one ear in most cases of sudden hearing loss.

Many people will notice the condition when they arise in the morning.

Others may not notice it until they attempt to use the ear with the deafness

in it, such as phoning a friend. Others may experience a loud popping noise

right before their hearing disappears. People who have sudden loss of

hearing will often feel dizzy or hear a ringing in their ears; sometimes both

conditions may be present.

Call Us Today 888-512-1164 Or Visit one of Six Convenient Locations

302 Hickman Road, Ste 202 Charlottesville, VA 22911

1534 Jefferson Highway Fishersville, VA 22939

735-D East Market St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801

30 Crossing Lane - Ste. 105-106 Lexington, VA 24450

245 West Main St. Covington, VA 24426

700 Southridge Parkway Suite 309 Culpeper VA 22701

Hearing HealthCare of Virginia

There are a lot of patients that are able to recover on their own without

having to worry about any medical assistance. Most of the time, the

recovery will occur within the first couple of days after hearing loss, this is

known as spontaneous recovery. Yet there are others who will take a week

or two to recover.

Although the outlook for a full recovery is very good, there are about 15

percent of individuals who will never get their hearing back. Some may

even notice that the problem increases over time.

Every year there are around 4,000 new cases of sudden hearing loss within

the United States alone. Anyone can be affected by this condition, but most

of the time it tends to occur within individuals who are between 30 and 60

years of age. The reasoning behind why this happens is still unknown.