[Sudden Deafness--diagnosis and Therapy]

Sudden deafness is defined as acute inner ear hearing loss, in the rule one-sided, of unknown etiology. The tentative diagnosis can be made easily by otoscopy and simple audiological forke tests. To exclude symptomatic acute hearing losses during the first treatment period, f.e. acoustic neurinoma, rupture of the round window membrane, multiple sclerosis, infectious diseases like Borreliosis or Lues, but also psychogenic hearing disorders we recommend an immediate hospitalization. Neurological and internal check up should look for inflammatory or degenerative diseases of the vascular or nervous system and also for metabolic risk factors like diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, gout or blood hyperviscosity. Today there are some reasons to assume, that disturbances of the microcirculation of the cochlea end vessels may a possible prominent etiological factor in sudden deafness. Therefore the aim of therapy today is to improve the microcirculation and the oxygenation of the sensory cells of the inner ear.