You wake up, your right ear feels clogged, voices sound like they’re underwater, and a faint hiss is riding along with every word. If that’s you today, pause. This can be a hearing emergency—and fast action can protect your future hearing.

First: What counts as “sudden,” and why it matters

Sudden hearing loss usually means a drop in hearing that happens over minutes to 72 hours, typically in one ear. People often describe it as “my ear clogged after a shower or cold,” “my phone only works in one ear now,” or “everything sounds distorted like a broken speaker.” It may arrive with ear fullness, new tinnitus (ringing/hissing), or dizziness.

There are two broad families of sudden hearing changes:

  • Conductive: sound can’t reach the inner ear well (earwax, middle-ear fluid, an ear infection, pressure problems). These are common and often fixable quickly.
  • Sensorineural: a problem in the inner ear or hearing nerve itself. “Sudden sensorineural hearing loss” (SSNHL) is time-sensitive. Early treatment—ideally within 48 hours—can improve the odds of recovery.

SSNHL affects tens of thousands of adults in the U.S. each year. Many people wait, assuming it’s earwax or allergies. Waiting can cost precious recovery time. If your hearing dropped suddenly without obvious wax or a bad cold, treat it like a medical urgency today.

Quick self-checks (clues, not a diagnosis)

These at-home observations can help you communicate with your clinician. They’re not definitive—don’t use them to delay care.

  • Phone swap test: Does your “bad” ear hear the phone much worse than yesterday, even at max volume? That’s a red flag for more than just wax.
  • Ear fullness + distortion: A plugged sensation with distorted or “tinny” sound and new tinnitus leans toward sensorineural changes.
  • Hum test (a rough Weber clue): Hum out loud. If the hum seems louder in the good ear, that can suggest a sensorineural issue in the other ear; if louder in the bad ear, it can suggest a conductive block. Either way, still seek care.
  • No pain, but big change: Ear infections often hurt. A sudden, painless hearing drop plus tinnitus should be checked ASAP.

What to do right now (today)

If your hearing dropped suddenly in one ear within the last few days:

  • Call an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) clinic immediately and say the words “sudden hearing loss.” Ask for a same-day or next-day appointment.
  • If you can’t reach an ENT quickly, go to urgent care or your primary care provider and request an audiogram today and urgent ENT referral. If an audiologist is nearby, ask for a same-day hearing test.
  • Do not wait for it to ‘clear up’ or try ear candling. Avoid aggressively popping your ears.
  • Share specifics: when it started, whether you have tinnitus or dizziness, recent infections, new medications, loud-noise exposure, trauma, or pressure changes (flying/diving).

Why the rush? Because evidence suggests that early treatment—often with steroids—can increase the chance of better hearing recovery. The clock matters.

What will the clinic do?

Expect a streamlined workup to sort out conductive vs. sensorineural causes and to start timely treatment if SSNHL is suspected.

Typical steps include:

  • Ear exam to look for wax, infection, eardrum issues, or fluid.
  • Hearing test (audiogram) to measure the type and degree of loss. This is key. SSNHL shows a sensorineural pattern.
  • Basic labs or imaging only if indicated. Some patients may get an MRI later to check the hearing nerve/inner ear, especially if hearing doesn’t recover or if other neurologic signs are present.

Clinics try to keep the timeline tight: exam and audiogram quickly; treatment started the same day if SSNHL is suspected.

Treatment options your team may discuss

Only your clinician can recommend treatment. Here’s what’s commonly considered for suspected SSNHL:

  • Steroids to calm inner-ear inflammation—either oral (like prednisone) or intratympanic (injected through the eardrum to bathe the inner ear directly). Some patients receive both, depending on timing and risk factors.
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may be offered in the first couple of weeks, sometimes in addition to steroids, at centers that provide it.
  • Treat the cause if identified: If testing points to an autoimmune, infectious, or other specific trigger, your ENT will tailor care.

What about decongestants, antibiotics, or antivirals? These don’t help SSNHL unless there’s a clear conductive problem or specific infection. That’s why the early hearing test is so important.

Timing tip: Guidelines emphasize starting appropriate therapy as soon as possible—ideally within 48 hours and generally within the first two weeks.

What recovery can look like

Recovery is highly variable. Many people experience partial to significant improvement; some recover fully, while others have ongoing difficulty. Factors that tend to be associated with better outcomes include faster treatment, milder initial loss, and certain audiogram shapes.

Expect follow-ups:

  • Repeat audiograms to track improvement.
  • Tinnitus support if ringing persists—sound therapy, counseling, and strategic use of sound at bedtime can help.
  • Rehabilitation if needed: If hearing remains reduced, today’s options include a traditional hearing aid, a CROS system (routes sound from the poorer ear to the better ear), or—in severe, lasting cases—a cochlear implant evaluation. An audiologist will guide you.

How to tell “wax or pressure” from a nerve issue

It can be surprisingly tricky, which is why we push for an audiogram. But here are common patterns:

  • Likely conductive (wax/pressure/fluid): fullness, mild-to-moderate loss, ear feels “blocked,” your own voice may echo, often follows a cold or flight; usually little distortion.
  • Likely sensorineural (SSNHL): sudden drop, new tinnitus, distortion or “tinny” sound quality, phone seems useless in that ear, sometimes dizziness. Ear may feel full even though the canal is clear.

Bottom line: If you woke up with a big, one-sided hearing change, don’t self-treat for a week. Get checked today.

If dizziness joins the party

Dizziness or vertigo can accompany SSNHL, but it also occurs with inner-ear disorders like vestibular neuritis or Ménière’s disease. Severe spinning, vomiting, or trouble walking deserves immediate evaluation. Mention every symptom you notice.

What not to do while you wait

  • Don’t ear-candle or stick objects into your ear—this can burn or injure the ear canal and drum.
  • Don’t repeatedly “pop” your ears with force; it can worsen symptoms if the problem isn’t pressure-related.
  • Don’t delay because a calendar is full. If your ENT can’t see you immediately, ask your primary care provider or an urgent care to help arrange a same-day audiogram and provisional management.

Protecting your future hearing

Whether your hearing rebounds or not, your ears will thank you for a little extra care:

  • Lower your noise dose: Use quality ear protection around power tools, concerts, or loud events. Keep earbuds at the lowest volume that’s still enjoyable.
  • Keep your health tuned: Manage cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol), don’t smoke, and prioritize sleep—each influences inner-ear health.
  • Medication check: If you’re on potentially ototoxic medications, ask your prescriber about hearing-safe strategies.
  • Follow-up hearing tests: Even if you feel “back to normal,” confirm with an audiogram and set a baseline for the future.

When it’s not SSNHL: Common mimics

  • Earwax blockage: Can cause sudden muffling after a shower or swim when wax swells. A quick ear exam solves this.
  • Middle-ear fluid or infection: Often after a cold; you may notice pressure, crackling, and sometimes pain or fever.
  • Eustachian tube dysfunction: Pressure imbalance after flights/allergies; usually fluctuates and improves with time.
  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues: Can cause fullness and altered sound but not true inner-ear hearing loss.

If any doubt remains, let an audiologist and ENT sort it out—quickly.

The compassionate nudge

If this article sounds like it was written for you this morning, consider it your permission slip to step out of meetings, call an ENT, and say: “I’m experiencing sudden hearing loss.” The earlier you act, the more options you preserve. If you need help finding care, a local audiology clinic can often triage and fast-track you to the right place.

Further Reading

- Sudden Hearing Loss, Fast Action: Your First 48 Hours (Hearing Loss) - When Sound Disappears Overnight: Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Fast Action (Hearing Loss) - Wake Up to Silence? Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Fast Action (Hearing Loss) - 72 Hours Matters: Treating Sudden Hearing Loss Without Losing Time (Treatment)

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to start treatment for sudden hearing loss?

As soon as possible. Many clinicians aim to start therapy within 48 hours and generally within the first two weeks. Don’t wait to see if it clears on its own—call an ENT today and ask for a same-day audiogram.

Will steroids fix my hearing—and are they safe?

Steroids are a common first-line option for suspected SSNHL and can improve the odds of recovery, especially when started early. Like all medications, they have potential side effects (e.g., mood changes, elevated blood sugar, sleep issues). Your clinician will review your medical history and choose oral, intratympanic, or combined approaches based on your risks and timing.

Could it just be earwax or pressure?

Yes—those are common and often easy to treat. But they can look similar to a nerve-based loss in the first hours. An ear exam plus an audiogram is the fastest way to tell. If your hearing changed suddenly, don’t self-diagnose; get checked today.

If my hearing doesn’t come back, what are my options?

Modern hearing technology can help a lot. Depending on your hearing test, you might benefit from a conventional hearing aid, a CROS system (routes sound from the poorer ear to the better ear), or a cochlear implant if the loss is severe and persistent. An audiologist can outline the pros and cons for your situation.

References