[Spontaneous remission in sudden deafness]

Abstract

In a group of 63 patients (average age 50.5 years) with a sudden hearing loss the result was an improvement in 89% of cases, and a complete remission without any treatment in 68%. For the whole group the average hearing improvement was 25.6 dB (based on an analysis of single frequencies at 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 kHz). Patients with minor hearing difficulty had the same rate of improvement as those with medium and severe loss of hearing, but a greater number of complete remissions. The rate of spontaneous remission decreased with age. 89% of 28 patients younger than 50 years showed an improvement in 96% of cases and a complete remission in 89%. The occurrence of tinnitus or previous damage to the affected inner-ear have no influence on the prognosis of spontaneous remissions in hearing loss. The comparison of different published methods used in the treatment of sudden hearing loss shows almost the same hearing improvement, and this does not differ essentially from the improvement due to spontaneous remissions.