Sudden Deafness, Part 1: Diagnosis and Treatment

Maurice H. Miller, PhD, Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology/Steinhardt School of Education, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Jerome D. Schein, PhD, Professor Emeritus, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Adjunct Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.

Hearing loss that occurs instantaneously or over a period of a few days without immediately apparent cause is called Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSNHL). In part 1 of this series, the diagnosis and initial treatment of this condition are described in relation to most patients’ demands for active and aggressive intervention. Part 2 (to follow in the next issue) will address rehabilitation.
Key words: audiology, deafness, diagnosis, hearing aids, idiopathic, otology, rehabilitation, unilateral and bilateral hearing loss, sensorineural.