What Researchers Did
Doctors gave hyperbaric oxygen therapy to 17 patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss to see if it improved their hearing.
What They Found
This clinical study of 17 patients found that hearing levels improved significantly after hyperbaric oxygen treatment, with average hearing dropping from 67.8 dB before therapy to 21.6 dB after therapy (p less than 0.001). Patients breathed 100% oxygen at 2.8 ATA for 60 minutes, twice daily, for up to 30 sessions. Before treatment, 12 patients had hearing loss in the 61-93 dB range and 5 patients were in the 41-60 dB range. After treatment, 14 of the 17 patients reached the 0-26 dB range, 2 patients reached the 27-40 dB range, and 1 patient remained in the 41-60 dB range.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadians with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, this study suggests hyperbaric oxygen therapy given soon after hearing loss begins (within 10 days, in this study) may be associated with meaningful hearing improvement. Most patients in this study saw their hearing return to a near-normal range. Patients should discuss timing and treatment options with their physician, since this is one small study rather than a large-scale trial.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study had a small sample size of only 17 patients and did not include a control group, so it cannot rule out that some patients would have recovered hearing on their own without treatment.