Table of contents:
- What are the causes of sudden deafness?
- 1. Iron deficiency anemia
- 2. Viral infection
- 3. The eardrum burst
- 4. Head or acoustic trauma
- 5. Tumors
- 6. Medicines
- 7.Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Some of you may have experienced sudden deafness at least once in your life. When you experience sudden deafness, the sounds around you suddenly become muffled as if they were heard from a distance. Usually this condition affects only one ear and can return to normal within a few days. However, sudden deafness should not be underestimated. There are several conditions that can cause sudden deafness of the ears. Anything? Check out the answer here.
What are the causes of sudden deafness?
Sudden deafness or sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) includes hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear hair cells or the nerve pathways that lead from the inner ear to the brain.
Sometimes apart from sudden deafness, there are several other symptoms that arise when a person experiences this, namely the ears feeling light, and ringing in the ears.
Apart from taking in water, here are some of the most common causes of sudden ear deafness:
1. Iron deficiency anemia
A study from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine found that people who had iron deficiency anemia had twice the risk of developing this hearing loss than healthy people.
Researchers have shown that the inner ear is very sensitive to changes in blood supply. Iron is also clearly needed to keep the hearing system functioning normally. Too little blood and iron can eventually interfere with the work of cells and even kill them. This can cause hearing loss if the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged or attached.
So, it is possible that iron deficiency anemia can cause sudden ear deafness due to insufficient oxygenated blood flow to the inner ear. Sudden ear deafness that results from iron deficiency anemia usually develops in about 72 hours.
2. Viral infection
Viral infection is one of the most common causes of sudden deafness. Reporting from hear-it, one in four people who experience sudden deafness are known to develop an upper respiratory tract infection one month before the hearing loss occurs.
Viruses associated with sudden deafness include mumps, measles, rubella, as well as meningitis, syphilis and AIDS.
3. The eardrum burst
The rupture of the eardrum is caused by tearing of the thin membrane that separates the middle ear from the outer ear. This condition can lead to sensorineural hearing loss.
4. Head or acoustic trauma
Damage to your inner ear can also be caused by a blow to the head or exposure to very loud sounds, such as an explosion.
5. Tumors
Tumors that grow in the part of the brain that regulates hearing ability (parietal lobe), can cause hearing loss.
6. Medicines
There are certain medications that can damage your ears and ultimately interfere with your ability to hear. Usually, the initial symptoms experienced are the appearance of a ringing sound, vertigo appears, and over time the ability to hear will be lost or deaf.
These drugs have a direct effect on the organs in the ear which function to receive and process sound which will then be sent to the brain for translation.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, there are at least 200 types of over-the-counter and prescription drugs that can cause hearing loss.
7.Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Nervous system disorders caused by multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect nerve cells in the brain and spine. The lining of the brain (myelin) can also be affected and cause damage to the nerve fibers at the base of the brain. Usually, people with this condition will show symptoms such as sudden hearing loss.
