A study among persons with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) has found that the chance of recovery is much higher if the sudden hearing loss is in the lower frequencies.

The study found that complete hearing recovery was observed in around 78% of the patients in the low-tone SSHL group and in 15% of the patients in the high-tone SSHL group. The patients in both groups in the study were treated with intravenous steroids.

Tinnitus

The study also found that in the high-tone SSHL group, there was a higher proportion of patients that reported tinnitus compared with the low-tone SSHL group.

About the study

In the study, the low-tone type SSHL was defined as the hearing loss for which the average from three low frequencies (125, 250, and 500 Hz) was 30 dB. The high-frequency type of SSHL was defined as the hearing loss for which the average from three high frequencies (2,000, 4,000 and 8,000 Hz) was 20 dB.

The study, “Hearing outcome of Low-tone Compared to High-tone Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss”, was published in the journal International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology.

Source: International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology