Sudden deafness--a form of acute hearing loss

By idiopathic sudden deafness is meant solely sudden sensory loss of hearing, the pathological-anatomical substrate of which is thought to be acute, vascular endolymphatic hydrops of unknown cause. Sudden deafness always affects one ear only, tinnitus and temporary vertigo may be accompanying symptoms. Sudden loss of hearing reflecting an inner ear involvement of general diseases must be distinguished from sudden deafness as defined above, as also from psychogenic deafness, central-neural deafness during the course of multiple sclerosis, sensory hearing loss in Cogan's disease or syphilis. The same applies to tumours of the inner ear or cerebellopontine angle, which may also present in the form of acute unilateral deafness. Treatment--wherever possible on an inpatient basis--of sudden deafness should be initiated immediately in parallel with a targeted diagnostic workup.