Acute Hearing Loss and HBOT

Suffering from Acute Hearing Loss? If so, HBOT May Reduce Symptoms or Even Restore Your Hearing

When someone experiences hearing loss abruptly or over the course of a few hours, we refer to it as acute hearing loss. It frequently occurs in a single ear and can impact varying parts of the hearing range.

The loss of hearing can be mild or severe, partial or total. Some people with acute hearing loss also report feeling a loss of balance or ringing in the ears. No matter what causes it, losing their hearing so rapidly can leave people feeling unsettled, depressed or fearful.

Medical evidence demonstrates that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can provide significant improvements for those with acute hearing loss. In 2013, a group of researchers from Kars State Hospital and Numune Education and Research Hospital in Turkey gave hyperbaric oxygen therapy to 59 patients with acute hearing loss. Each patient also received piracetam intravenously, a drug that mildly boosts brain function. In addition, 37 patients were treated with steroids. All patients saw statistically significant hearing improvement, but those who saw the greatest gains were those who got treatment within 14 days of the onset of hearing loss.

Other studies have shown conclusively that HBOT improves pure tone hearing thresholds in those with acute hearing loss who haven’t responded to other medical therapies. The interest among researchers about hyperbaric oxygen therapy only continues to grow.

During HBOT treatments, patients are given pure oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressures, flooding the bloodstream and tissues with vital nutrients. HBOT stimulates hearing regeneration through increasing the amount of oxygen to inner ear fluids and boosting the inner ear’s sensory cells. Patients who get HBOT during the first few months after the onset of acute hearing loss have the highest success rates.

Many health insurance companies in the U.S. cover Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy within three months of first experiencing acute hearing loss. Because of that, it is very important to seek treatment quickly.

How Do I Know if HBOT Is Right for Me?

If you or someone you love has recently experienced sudden hearing loss, HBOT may help to reduce its severity. If you have questions about the treatment, please call (727) 787-7077 so that we can provide you with information. You may also simply click here to schedule a personalized assessment that will let us find out whether HBOT could help to improve your hearing. If medical insurance does not cover the treatment, we will be glad to go over your options with you.