What is sudden deafness?

Also known as: sudden hearing loss, SSHL, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL).

When a person’s hearing becomes reduced by 30 decibels or more over the course of 72 hours or less, the condition is known as sudden deafness. It can range in severity and be caused by a variety of different medical conditions or other factors.

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Reviewed by: Yamilet Tirado, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM