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What Are The Treatment Available For Sensorineural Hearing Loss?
Question: I m suffering from Sensorineural hearing loss from last 1 & half years, Mild to profound senserineural hearing loss in left ear & Profound sensorineural hearing loss in right ear as per Audiogram report. I wanted to know is there any treated for this hearing loss apart from hearing aids or coclear implant. Please let me know..Awaiting for your reply.
Hi,
Thank you for your query.
1. In the first 4-6 weeks of a SNHL, there is a good possibility of recovery with aggressive treatment with intravenous steroids, anti-virals, blood thinners, vasodilators, neuroprotective drugs, anti-oxidants, multi-vitamins and carbogen therapy. Up to 3 months there may be excellent results with trams-tympanic steroid injections and with Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).
2. From your Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA), your hearing is outside the speech frequencies beyond 2 kHz. I recommend an Aided PTA. If the Speech Discrimination Score (SDS) is less than 40%, a Cochlear Implant may be considered. If your Aided PTA shows hearing in the speech frequencies beyond 2 kHz, a powerful hearing aid may suffice. Have you had a BERA (ABR) done?
3. If you still want to try with medications, get 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT. If there is no improvement, then you may proceed with the hearing aid trial. If the hearing aid trial fails, then a cochlear implant is the only option.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for your query.
1. In the first 4-6 weeks of a SNHL, there is a good possibility of recovery with aggressive treatment with intravenous steroids, anti-virals, blood thinners, vasodilators, neuroprotective drugs, anti-oxidants, multi-vitamins and carbogen therapy. Up to 3 months there may be excellent results with trams-tympanic steroid injections and with Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).
2. From your Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA), your hearing is outside the speech frequencies beyond 2 kHz. I recommend an Aided PTA. If the Speech Discrimination Score (SDS) is less than 40%, a Cochlear Implant may be considered. If your Aided PTA shows hearing in the speech frequencies beyond 2 kHz, a powerful hearing aid may suffice. Have you had a BERA (ABR) done?
3. If you still want to try with medications, get 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT. If there is no improvement, then you may proceed with the hearing aid trial. If the hearing aid trial fails, then a cochlear implant is the only option.
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your reply.
Where can I get 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT & would like to know is there any side effects of this? If I get any improvement using this medication would it be permanent or improvement will be for only sometime(temporary only).
Also i have got some information on internet for curing hearing loss. Would like your suggestion on the same.
1) Boiling Sesame oil with 1 clove of garlic & then putting it (of body-temperature oil) in ears helps improve the hearing capacity of the auditory nerve.
2) Taking Acetyl-Carnitine (150 mgs), Alpa-Lipoic Acid (150 mgs), glutathione (50 mgs ) ,Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 (60 mgs) everyday for 6 months can reverse hearing loss.
Please let me know should I try this medications, I want to cure my hearing loss by medication & without any side effects. Please help..
Where can I get 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT & would like to know is there any side effects of this? If I get any improvement using this medication would it be permanent or improvement will be for only sometime(temporary only).
Also i have got some information on internet for curing hearing loss. Would like your suggestion on the same.
1) Boiling Sesame oil with 1 clove of garlic & then putting it (of body-temperature oil) in ears helps improve the hearing capacity of the auditory nerve.
2) Taking Acetyl-Carnitine (150 mgs), Alpa-Lipoic Acid (150 mgs), glutathione (50 mgs ) ,Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 (60 mgs) everyday for 6 months can reverse hearing loss.
Please let me know should I try this medications, I want to cure my hearing loss by medication & without any side effects. Please help..
Hi,
Thank you for writing back.
1. These trans-tympanic steroid injections and HBOT may be used as a salvage option. However it must be emphasized that it may not help. As such the risk of harm is very low. Effects of theses treatments is usually permanent and may even improve with time.
2. The most likely HBOT centers will be at armed forces hospitals. Most of these will be multi-patient chambers. You will have to inquire with all nearby major hospitals if they have a functioning HBOT center. Newer chambers have an acrylic transparent cover and built in entertainment and communication facilities. The standard protocol is 90 minute sessions at 2-2.5 atm pressure.
3. There is a center run by Innovative Healing Systems at KEM Hospital Pune. They have the latest Stryker HBOT Chambers. They have centers in Gujrat and Delhi. You can check with Innovative Healing Systems if they have a center in South India.
4. All the compounds mentioned by you are natural supplements and hence there is no harm in trying them out. Here, too there is no consistent proven benefit
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for writing back.
1. These trans-tympanic steroid injections and HBOT may be used as a salvage option. However it must be emphasized that it may not help. As such the risk of harm is very low. Effects of theses treatments is usually permanent and may even improve with time.
2. The most likely HBOT centers will be at armed forces hospitals. Most of these will be multi-patient chambers. You will have to inquire with all nearby major hospitals if they have a functioning HBOT center. Newer chambers have an acrylic transparent cover and built in entertainment and communication facilities. The standard protocol is 90 minute sessions at 2-2.5 atm pressure.
3. There is a center run by Innovative Healing Systems at KEM Hospital Pune. They have the latest Stryker HBOT Chambers. They have centers in Gujrat and Delhi. You can check with Innovative Healing Systems if they have a center in South India.
4. All the compounds mentioned by you are natural supplements and hence there is no harm in trying them out. Here, too there is no consistent proven benefit
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your reply.
Would like to know the minimum cost of 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT? How much would be the chances of curing hearing loss with this treatment & if you know if anybody benefitted with this treatment.
I heard that getting steriod injections is harmful & can effect the brain functioning..is this true.
Would like to know the minimum cost of 6 bi-weekly steroid ear injections and 10 sessions of HBOT? How much would be the chances of curing hearing loss with this treatment & if you know if anybody benefitted with this treatment.
I heard that getting steriod injections is harmful & can effect the brain functioning..is this true.
Hi,
Thank you for writing back.
1. There are two ways to get the trans-tympanic steroids. You may get a fresh injection every time or get a Myringotomy & grommet insertion done through which the steroids may be introduced into the middle ear.
2. Hence the cost may vary from 25k initially to 2.5k on OPD basis for further doses.
3. Intra-tympanic steroids will not harm brain function. The steroid concentrations achieved in the cochlea may be up to 1000 times higher than with oral steroids. There is a small chance of total hearing loss in a normal hearing patient, which is a relative risk at your present hearing levels.
4. 10 sessions of HBOT may cost around 35k to 40k.
5. Maximum benefits are seen in the first three months. However there is no harm in trying. If there has been some recent deterioration, it may respond. A slight improvement in hearing may allow you to use hearing aids and avoid a cochlear implant (which also has it's own set of advantages and disadvantages).
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Thank you for writing back.
1. There are two ways to get the trans-tympanic steroids. You may get a fresh injection every time or get a Myringotomy & grommet insertion done through which the steroids may be introduced into the middle ear.
2. Hence the cost may vary from 25k initially to 2.5k on OPD basis for further doses.
3. Intra-tympanic steroids will not harm brain function. The steroid concentrations achieved in the cochlea may be up to 1000 times higher than with oral steroids. There is a small chance of total hearing loss in a normal hearing patient, which is a relative risk at your present hearing levels.
4. 10 sessions of HBOT may cost around 35k to 40k.
5. Maximum benefits are seen in the first three months. However there is no harm in trying. If there has been some recent deterioration, it may respond. A slight improvement in hearing may allow you to use hearing aids and avoid a cochlear implant (which also has it's own set of advantages and disadvantages).
I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.
Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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