What Researchers Did
Hyperbaric medicine specialists reviewed the pathophysiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and the best available evidence for treating it with HBOT combined with corticosteroids.
What They Found
Both corticosteroids and HBOT have shown benefit in randomized controlled trials for sudden hearing loss, while other treatments have not. The best results are achieved when both treatments are combined and started within 14 days of symptom onset. HBOT is given at 2-2.5 ATA for 90 minutes for 10-20 sessions. For severe hearing loss, HBOT improves hearing by an average of 37.7 dB, restoring many patients from requiring hearing aids or sign language to near-normal hearing.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency. Canadians who experience sudden unexplained hearing loss should seek care within 72 hours, as the window for effective treatment with steroids and HBOT closes quickly.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is not an OHIP-covered HBOT indication in Ontario, but this review provides strong evidence that timely combined treatment meaningfully improves outcomes.
Study Limitations
This is a narrative review and expert synthesis; it does not quantify the quality of individual RCTs or account for heterogeneity across trial populations.