Q It has been two weeks since my sudden hearing loss began. Is there still a chance of recovery if I start treatment now?
A The first 72 hours are the golden window, but if it has been within two weeks, treatment is still worthwhile. The degree of recovery tends to shrink the later you start, so it is important to begin treatment now, together with ENT care, to support recovery.
Detailed Answer
Sudden hearing loss has the highest recovery rate when steroids are given within 72 hours of onset, but treatment effects are also reported within two weeks. Leaving it untreated for more than a month strongly tends to make the hearing loss permanent. The chance of recovery varies with the degree of initial hearing loss, whether dizziness is present, and the cause of onset. Visit an ENT specialist immediately for a hearing test and specialist care.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Dongjedang combines treatment that continuously improves inner-ear blood flow during the recovery phase after steroid care. If it is within two weeks of onset, there is still potential for hair-cell and vascular recovery, so we use blood-activating, stasis-resolving (hwalhyeol-hwaeo) and Kidney-tonifying (boshin) formulas to raise the recovery environment as much as possible. Even when started late, the treatment plays a meaningful role in reducing tinnitus and the blocked sensation and protecting the remaining hearing.
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If I receive treatment diligently for sudden hearing loss, can I hear exactly as before?
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Tinnitus came along with my sudden hearing loss. If the hearing loss heals, will the tinnitus naturally get better too?
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Dizziness came along with my sudden hearing loss. Does accompanying dizziness mean a worse prognosis?
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When sudden hearing loss occurs, are there things I should do right away at home and things I must not do?
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While I am in treatment, what daily habits help my recovery?
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