One ear suddenly sounds like it’s under a pillow. Voices are thin. Your own footsteps feel hollow. If that shift appeared over hours—not months—press pause on the guessing game. Sudden hearing loss can be a true medical emergency, and fast action can protect the hearing you still have.

What "sudden" really means

Doctors use the term sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) when hearing in one ear drops by at least 30 dB across several pitches within 72 hours. Translation: it can hit over minutes or a couple of days, usually in one ear, often with a sense of fullness, a new buzz or ring (tinnitus), or even brief vertigo.

It’s more common than most people realize—tens of thousands of cases each year in the U.S. Many people first assume earwax or congestion. Sometimes it is. But if the inner ear is the issue, the treatment window is short.

Why minutes matter

With SSNHL, the inner ear’s delicate structures (hair cells and their synapses) are stressed—often from inflammation, reduced blood flow, or a viral trigger. Early treatment, typically with corticosteroids, aims to calm that storm before damage becomes permanent. Evidence suggests the best odds of meaningful recovery come when treatment starts as soon as possible—ideally within 24–48 hours, and generally within two weeks.

Not everyone bounces back, but many do—especially when treated early. Waiting to “see if it clears on its own” can shrink your recovery odds.

Your first-hour checklist

Do this now

  • Call an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) clinic or an audiology/hearing clinic and say: “I developed sudden hearing loss in one ear today.” Ask for a same-day evaluation or immediate next-available.
  • If you can’t get in quickly, go to urgent care or the ER and request an ear exam and a same-day hearing test (audiogram). Share exactly when symptoms started and any tinnitus or vertigo.
  • Protect the ear from loud noise (concerts, power tools) until you’re evaluated.
  • Gather your medication list (including recent antibiotics, chemotherapy, high-dose aspirin, diuretics, or new supplements) and recent illnesses to share with the clinician.

Avoid for now

  • Don’t dig in your ear with cotton swabs, hairpins, or ear candles. You can push wax deeper or injure the canal.
  • Don’t delay care while trying random decongestants or home remedies. They rarely help SSNHL and cost you precious time.
  • Don’t self-start leftover prescription steroids without guidance. Proper dosing, risks, and monitoring matter.

Friendly nudge: If this sounds like you right now, pause reading and make the call. Then come back. Your future self will thank you.

“Clogged or nerve?” Quick reality checks you can try

These simple clues can help you describe what you’re feeling. They are not a diagnosis—only an audiologist or physician can confirm the cause.

Clues that point more to a conductive ("clogged") issue like earwax or fluid

  • Your own voice booms or echoes in the affected ear (the "barrel" sensation).
  • Chewing or swallowing briefly changes the fullness.
  • You’ve had recent cold/allergy symptoms or just went swimming.
  • Sound may seem louder in the affected ear when you hum with your mouth closed (a home version of the Weber test).

Clues that point more to a sensorineural (inner ear/nerve) issue

  • Sudden ring or hiss (tinnitus) appeared with the hearing drop.
  • Speech sounds thin or distorted rather than simply quieter.
  • Hum test seems louder in the better ear.
  • There’s brief spinning or imbalance without pain or drainage.

Either way, sudden change deserves same-day care. Even if it improves, it’s smart to document the event with a professional hearing test.

What happens at the visit

The exam and tests

  • Otoscopy: A look in your ear canal to check for wax, infection, or eardrum issues.
  • Audiogram: Measures hearing across pitches to confirm a conductive vs. sensorineural pattern and how severe it is.
  • Tympanometry: Checks eardrum movement and middle-ear pressure.
  • Bedside tuning fork tests: Quick clues while waiting for audiology.
  • Additional workup as needed: If a sensorineural loss is confirmed, your clinician may order blood tests based on your history, and sometimes an MRI to rule out a vestibular schwannoma (benign tumor) or other rare causes—especially if hearing doesn’t recover.

Treatments you may be offered

  • Corticosteroids: Often the first-line treatment to reduce inner-ear inflammation. They may be taken orally or delivered directly to the middle ear via a tiny injection (intratympanic), especially if oral steroids aren’t appropriate or as a “salvage” option.
  • Hyperbaric oxygen: In some centers, this can be considered alongside steroids within days of onset or as salvage therapy. Access varies.
  • Supportive care: Guidance on rest, noise avoidance, and follow-up hearing tests to track recovery.

Your clinician will balance potential benefits and risks based on your health history. If you’re not improving, it’s common to repeat a hearing test within 1–2 weeks and adjust the plan.

Recovery odds and timeline

Many people see partial or full recovery—sometimes quickly, sometimes over weeks. Factors linked with better outcomes include faster treatment, milder initial loss, and no severe vertigo. Recovery can be uneven across pitches; you may notice speech clarity lag behind volume at first.

Even if hearing snaps back within a day or two, follow-up is wise. A documented baseline helps your future care, and some people are at risk for recurrence.

When it’s not earwax: living well after SSNHL

If permanent loss remains, you have options. An audiologist can tailor solutions to your pattern and lifestyle:

  • Conventional hearing aids: Helpful if some usable hearing remains in the affected ear.
  • CROS/BiCROS systems: Route sound from the poorer ear to the better ear to improve awareness in conversations and meetings.
  • Bone-anchored hearing systems: An option when one ear hears well and the other does not.
  • Cochlear implants: Considered when hearing and speech understanding remain very limited even with powerful hearing aids, usually after a trial period.

Rehabilitation doesn’t stop at devices. Communication strategies, assistive microphones for meetings, and room acoustics can dramatically improve day-to-day life. Ask your audiologist to coach you on these practical tools.

Can I prevent this from happening again?

SSNHL often has no clear cause. Still, keeping your inner ear and blood vessels happy is smart ear insurance:

  • Manage cardiovascular risks: blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.
  • Use hearing protection in loud settings; don’t overuse earbuds at high volumes.
  • Review any potentially ototoxic medications with your care team, especially if you notice new tinnitus or hearing changes.
  • Prioritize sleep and stress management—your auditory system is part of your nervous system, after all.

Most important: If hearing ever drops suddenly again, consider it urgent and seek care immediately.

Bottom line

Sudden hearing loss is a “don’t wait” moment. Quick evaluation and timely treatment can change the ending of the story. If you’re experiencing a sudden change right now, call an ENT or audiologist for same-day care, or go to urgent care or the ER and ask for an ear exam and hearing test.

Further Reading

- When Sound Disappears Overnight: Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Fast Action (Hearing Loss) - Wake Up to Silence? Sudden Hearing Loss Needs Fast Action (Hearing Loss) - Sudden Hearing Loss: The 72-Hour Treatment Playbook (What to Do Now) (Treatment) - Sudden Hearing Loss, Fast Action: Your First 48 Hours (Hearing Loss)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell earwax from sudden sensorineural hearing loss?

Earwax blockages usually cause a “plugged” feeling, your own voice sounds boomy, and hearing returns to normal the moment the wax is removed. SSNHL often arrives with new tinnitus, distortion (not just quiet), or imbalance, and it does not resolve with chewing or swallowing. Because they can feel similar at first, get a same-day exam and hearing test rather than guessing.

Do decongestants or antibiotics help sudden sensorineural hearing loss?

Not typically. Decongestants can help if your middle ear is congested, but they haven’t been shown to help SSNHL. Antibiotics are used when there’s a bacterial infection, which is uncommon in SSNHL. The main evidence-supported treatment is corticosteroids started as soon as possible when SSNHL is suspected—discuss risks and benefits with your clinician.

If my hearing improves the next day, should I still see someone?

Yes. Even rapid improvement should be documented with a professional hearing test, and you may still benefit from evaluation to understand what happened and your risk of recurrence. Quick follow-up gives you a reliable baseline for the future.

Is sudden hearing loss contagious or caused by an ear infection?

SSNHL itself isn’t contagious. While some cases may follow a viral illness, there’s usually no active infection in the middle ear. An exam helps distinguish SSNHL from ear infections or fluid, which are treated differently.

References