Test Showed Right Side Ear Profound Hearing Loss, Left Side Ear Minimal Hearing Loss. Chances Of Improving Hearing?

Posted on Tue, 9 Oct 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 9 Oct 2012 Answered on

Thu, 1 Nov 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : Yesterday i have been to MERF. i feel that my RIGHT side ear have lost hearing. i checked with the doctor and they asked me to do PURE TONE AND IMPEDANCE AUDIOMETRY test..in the report they have mentioned that RITGHT SIDE EAR profound hearing loss and left side ear minimal hearing loss. Today i met the Doctor with the reports and asking me to take scan. ( temporal bone and inner ear ).In MERF they said cant do anything for Right side Ear. At the same time i went to another ENT hospital and checked. he tested my ear and said need to take same tests. he have given TABS and said my nerve is weak. but can cure it....even the reports are negative. Could you please tell me is there any possibility to get my hearing power? my left side ear working normal.when i close my left side ear with my finger try to listen in my right side ear am not able to hear..if i swallow i am able to get the feel on my left side year as usual but not that much in Right side ear.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (13 hours later)

Hi,
Thank you for contacting Healthcare magic.
The chances of improvement of hearing depends on the underlying cause.
If your hearing loss is sudden, that is, it started recently one fine day, the likely causes are vascular (due to lack of blood flow to the hearing nerve) or a viral infection.
In these conditions, we normally treat with high dose steroids- injections of methylprednisolone 1 gm daily for three days- this helps in many cases to restore the hearing power.
In other conditions, where one loses hearing gradually over time, it is due to some degeneration of the hearing nerve. In these situations, usually hearing does not improve.
I hope it helps.
Please get back if you have any more queries.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar