WP Medical Mystery: Sudden Hearing Loss

The Washington Post on 7/27/10 published a story in its Medical Mystery segment describing a patient who had sudden onset of hearing loss in one ear with tinnitus (or buzzing in the ear). This sudden hearing loss is known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss and is considered an urgent issue for which a patient needs to see an ENT as soon as possible.

Why? Because treatment is effective only if given within 4 weeks of hearing loss onset. Treatment is with either high dose prednisone and/or steroid injection directly into the affected ear, a procedure known as intratympanic steroid injection.

Read the Washington Post article here.

Read more about sudden hearing loss here.

Of note, our office provides both forms of treatment.

Doxycycline Helps Shrink Nasal Polyps

A new research study was published that showed that the anbitiotic doxycycline (as well as methylprednisolone steroid) significantly decreased nasal polyp size compared with placebo. The effect of methylprednisolone was maximal at week 3 and lasted until week 8, whereas the effect of doxycycline was moderate but present for 12 weeks.

What patients suffering from nasal polyps need to realize is that such effects from steroids and even doxycycline are temporary... the nasal polyps come back.

Read more about nasal polyps here.

Read the research here.

Reference:
Oral steroids and doxycycline: two different approaches to treat nasal polyps. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 May;125(5):1069-1076.e4. Link

New Webpage on Sudden Hearing Loss

A new webpage has been posted on Sudden Hearing Loss, or medically also known as Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). The webpage goes over symptoms and treatment (steroids and/or intra-tympanic steroid injections). Read more about it here.