What Are the Treatment Options for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

May 06, 2021 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Liu Chunqing

Introduction

1. Glucocorticoids: possess anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immunosuppressive effects, and can alleviate vascular endothelial edema. 2. Neurotrophic agents: ATP is a coenzyme and the primary source of cellular energy. 3. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: reduces inner ear edema and ischemic-hypoxic injury, improves inner ear circulation, and significantly increases arterial and tissue oxygen partial pressure.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), also known as “idiopathic sudden hearing loss,” is commonly abbreviated as “sudden deafness” or “SSNHL.” It refers to a rapid onset of sensorineural hearing loss with no identifiable cause. The primary clinical manifestation is unilateral hearing loss, often accompanied by tinnitus, aural fullness, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. So, what are the treatment options for sudden sensorineural hearing loss? The following section addresses this question.

What Are the Treatment Options for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

1. Glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids exert anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immunosuppressive effects and can alleviate vascular endothelial edema while enhancing blood supply to the inner ear. Currently, they represent a cornerstone in the management of SSNHL. Additionally, thrombolytic and anticoagulant agents may be used. Plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with SSNHL are significantly elevated compared with healthy controls, and both erythrocyte aggregation and plasma viscosity are markedly increased—suggesting that elevated blood viscosity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of SSNHL.

2. Neurotrophic Agents

Commonly used neurotrophic drugs include adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and various vitamins. ATP functions as a coenzyme and serves as the body’s primary energy source; due to its ability to improve cellular metabolism, it has become one of the main therapeutic agents for SSNHL. Early administration of vitamin A, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₁₂, glutamic acid (also known as “gaba” or “glutamine” in some contexts, though here likely referring to “gabapentin” or more plausibly “glutamic acid” as historically used in China for “glutamic acid tablets”—but standard translation is “glutamic acid”), and energy-enhancing agents—including ATP, coenzyme A, and cytochrome C—is also recommended.

3. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps reduce inner ear edema and ischemic-hypoxic injury while improving inner ear microcirculation. It significantly increases the partial pressure of oxygen in blood and tissues, enhances dissolved oxygen content in plasma, and extends the diffusion radius of oxygen within tissues—thereby accelerating the repair of cochlear hair cells and vestibular nerve fibers. HBOT also reduces platelet aggregation and lowers blood viscosity, making it a valuable adjunctive treatment for SSNHL.

The above outlines the major treatment modalities for sudden sensorineural hearing loss. We hope this information proves helpful to you.

View All

Can sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) resolve spontaneously if left untreated for a prolonged period?

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), clinically referred to simply as “sudden deafness,” primarily results from acute ischemia of the internal auditory artery, leading to impaired function of the cochlear hair cells and auditory nerve. Spontaneous recovery occurs in only approximately 2% of SSNHL patients. Such spontaneous recovery typically occurs within 10 days following onset; therefore, prolonged duration of SSNHL precludes spontaneous recovery.