How Does Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy Help In Treating Sudden Hearing Loss?
An estimated 20 individuals amongst 100,000 are believed to suffer from Sudden Hearing Loss across the United States.
In recent years, physicians are increasingly recommending Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy to treat patients ailing from Sudden Hearing Loss or Sensorineural Hearing Loss in conjunction with standard medical therapy in the State of Wisconsin and across the US to counter this ailment.
What is Sudden Hearing Loss?
Sudden Hearing Loss, also commonly referred to as nerve-related deafness, is an ailment wherein individuals experience rapid loss of hearing within a short span of time. Researchers have attributed this condition to circulatory problems due to the lack of oxygen in the inner ear or other nerves that connect the ear to the brain. Viral or bacterial infections, trauma due to injury, toxins, heredity factors, exposure to high decibel levels, and tumors are a few factors that are known to cause Sensorineural Hearing Loss in individuals. However, the quest to discover the exact causes for this medical state is ongoing till date.
This condition is often followed by a ringing sensation in the ear, medically known as Tinnitus or a sense of dizziness. A drastic reduction in sound volume greater than 30 decibels across three connected frequencies in a 72-hour period is a common occurrence in patients affected with this ailment. Early diagnosis of this condition coupled with the swift implementation of adjunctive treatment solutions like Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy is believed to improve the chances of partial to complete recovery in certain cases.
Crusaders Of Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy!
A noted researcher in the field of hyperbaric medicine, Tae. Min-Rhee, working at the National Maritime Medical Centre in Changwon, South Korea, conducted clinical trials on 2401 patients suffering from Sudden Hearing Loss using Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). The research, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, revealed that positive results were found when standard medical therapy was combined with hyperbaric chamber therapy, with some individuals even claiming a complete recovery from their loss of hearing.
Thereafter, Rhee promptly stated to MedPage that “HBOT is basically a very safe and effective treatment with few side effects, at least for refractory cases after the failure of medical treatment with steroids.”
Heather Murphy-Lavoie, an MD with the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, is extremely optimistic about using the hyperbaric chamber therapy combined with standard medical therapy for countering Sudden Hearing Loss in patients. However, she thinks that the early application of HBOT for countering this ailment will be much more beneficial for the patient rather than waiting until the time the standard care has failed to achieve the desired results.
“Early treatment leads to the best outcomes. The optimal treatment depth and time cannot be determined by this data, but it seems that at least 10 treatments are probably indicated,” says Murphy-Lavoie.
The data inputs from the 19 studies conducted by Rhee’s group covered 2401 patients, belonging to an average age group of 45 years. Amongst this group, patients ailing from extreme hearing loss were known to have experienced maximum relief after undergoing Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy in combination with regular medical therapy.
How is Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy Administered To Patients With Sudden hearing Loss In Wisconsin?
Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy or Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is being viewed as a popular treatment solution across the US that is being prescribed by doctors on a regular basis to treat various medical conditions that include Sensorineural Hearing Loss. There are numerous medical institutions that are offering this alternative therapy.
During Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy, the patient ailing from hearing loss is placed in a pressurized compartment known as the hyperbaric chamber. Thereon, the medical staff slowly commence the administration of pure unadulterated oxygen to the patient at enhanced atmospheric pressures. The pure oxygen under the high pressure is known to instantly dissolve in the body fluids of the patient, thereby boosting the flow of oxygen to parts of the body that are damaged due to prolonged oxygen deprivation, in this case, the internal parts of the ear.
This process enables the free flow of oxygen to reach certain parts of the affected inner ear and other nerves in patients ailing from Sudden Hearing Loss.
Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy can be administered to patients through mono-place or multiplace hyperbaric chambers. Patients, however, do have an option of undertaking hyperbaric therapy by installing portable hyperbaric chambers in the comfort of their homes or by renting them for temporary use.
In Conclusion
Today, physicians across the US are widely recommending hyperbaric oxygen therapy in conjunction with oral corticosteroids to patients affected with Sudden Hearing Loss as it is known to provide significant relief by reducing inflammation and swelling in the inner ear.
Over time, the field of hyperbaric medicine has evolved immensely, as scientists are unearthing certain perspectives of hyperbaric chamber therapy, that are radically changing the way the medical community of the world views this age-old treatment!
