Idiopathic sudden loss of hearing in one ear may occur at any age, but typically it occurs in persons over age 20 years
The cause is unknown; however, one hypothesis is that it results from a viral infection or a sudden vascular occlusion of the internal auditory artery
Prognosis is mixed, with many patients suffering permanent deafness in the involved ear, while others have complete recovery
Prompt treatment with corticosteroids has been shown to improve the odds of recovery
A common regimen is oral prednisone, 1 mg/kg/day, followed by a tapering dose over a 10-day period
Intratympanic administration of corticosteroids alone or in association with oral corticosteroids has been associated with an equal or more favorable prognosis
Because treatment appears to be most effective as close to the onset of the loss as possible, and appears not to be effective after 6 weeks, a prompt audiogram should be obtained in all patients who present with sudden hearing loss without obvious middle ear pathology