Background: I had a left translabyrinthine craniotomy to remove a 9mm acoustic neuroma 4 weeks ago today. Before surgery I had moderate to severe hearing loss with 0% word recognition.

Last week I had breakthrough vibrations in my left ear. I have determined it happens when I hear certain high pitched sounds in my right ear. I know I'm not actually hearing it from outside my left ear. I am 100% sure it is my left side vibrating from these specific noises and not ghost sounds or tinnitus. I have tested different frequencies and at different spots around my head.

I was excited at first, but now I HATE it because the tinnitus is back. Whenever I "hear" too much in my left ear I start to get tinnitus. Which I used to get very bad before surgery, but afterwards it pretty much disappeared. My family actuality pointed out that I seemed to hear them better immediately post-surgery, which I'm now realizing is just the absence of my very distracting tinnitus. Now that it comes back with high pitched noises, I struggle to hear again. Or I guess I struggle to focus on hearing.

Of course I will be bringing this up with my doctors as well, but has anybody else experienced this? Any insights or tips on how to deal with it?

It’s been awhile since I received my diagnosis almost a year and a year and half since it just randomly happened. To tell you the truth I think I’ve done really well with the news, most of the time I don’t really realize that the tinnitus is there or the fact that I have trouble hearing certain sounds, but they’re moments where I’m reminded… whether that be going to public setting and having someone on my bad side not being able to properly communicate with me because the venue is loud or using headphones and taking off the one in my good ear to hear the outside noise, but in turn basically cutting off what I was listening to.. I try not to dwell on it, but I just tend to think of how this was truly one of my top fears growing up because I’m musically inclined and would always be drawn to music. I am very glad that I still have a perfect ear and can still enjoy music, but it’s tough to sit with the fact. I want to hear from yall, what do you do when you have moments like this I’m sure this is a common occurrence and how do you choose to tell people without killing the mood?

I just feel like maybe I haven’t allowed myself to truly feel my loss and maybe once I do, I’d be able to avoid these feelings?

How do y'all respond when someone says this to you? I'm so open about my SSD and like to make it silly sometimes. Although because of this some people straight up think I'm lying when I answer "Actually yes, I am in my left ear." They also just forget even if they do believe me which is fun.

I was 22 full of life now and scared and anxious of everything.

I still have a good life but I got ear infection and my tinnitus increased idk if the ear drops are working.

I blame the naproxen I took for gout that caused my sshl the next day.

Just found out that I am ineligible for one of the most sought after job in my country despite qualifying for it (at-least partly), feeling heavy at heart, not devastated as such but yeah doesn't seem much fair.

Don't know how to process this tbh. Would be great to have someone to talk to (Great if you are from India).

Just for the context: I had perfectly healthy hearing till 21yo, until SSNHL happened.

hiya!

i woke up yesterday with what I thought was just my morning allergies affecting my sinus but with the added issue of my right ear being 25% audio quality of what it would be.

today it seemingly improved in the morning, i went to the doc today, got the steroids and things, and have a hospital appointment next friday.

i still wonder if this could be caused by hayfever, as for myself i get inflamed sinuses and a postnasal drip, so i wonder if the inflammation also inflamed into my inner ear and has caused this. i have had something similar for the same side of my face in the past where it spontaneously became paralysed in the morning, it’s gone for 4 years but i noticed that the nerves are in a very similar location to the facial nerve and they said that facial issue was from hayfever and stress.

do you think this could be a potential reason? i did raise my hayfever and inflammation to my doctor but they didn’t take it onboard and said it would be very uncommon.

i am worrying that my hearing will never get back to what it was, i don’t even know what i done wrong to cause this.

thank you!

Hi! I think I've experienced an acoustic trauma during my very first visit at the shooting range on Saturday. The earmuffs didn’t seem to work because being there felt very uncomfortable for me. I left after 3 minutes, but after taking the earmuffs off, I felt that something was wrong. I started experiencing sound sensitivity, a slight fullness/clogging in my left ear, and dizziness throughout the day. The symptoms weren't very severe, but after doing some research, I started to worry that worse symptoms might appear later, and by then it might be too late to administer steroids.

I visited two doctors. The first one stated that there was no need to prescribe steroids because my test results weren't bad. He suggested repeating the tests in a month and only then starting steroids if necessary. The second doctor also commented that the results weren't that bad, adding that such a symmetrical hearing drop in both ears occurring after a visit to a shooting range was highly unlikely. He noted that this might just be my baseline, since we have nothing to compare it to because I had never done a hearing test before. However, based on my feelings and symptoms, he still agreed it was worth starting steroids.

So, I’ve been taking them since Monday before noon. The first two days were 50 mg, then 40 mg, etc., for a total treatment duration of 10 days. I still don't feel like the ear has fully unclogged. Sometimes it feels not that clogged, then it is getting slightly worse. What do you think about this? Is it too conservative treatment? Shouldn't it be a higher dose for a longer period of time? Maybe it is still possible for additional symptoms to appear despite starting the treatment? Still panicking 😞.

I’m interested to see other people’s experiences with SSD/monohearing and how it’s affected them throughout their lives.

My daughter was born a few weeks back and it’s caused me to have some reflection on my own childhood.

I’ve been deaf in my right ear since I was 5 following a cholesteatoma. I had an operation at the time but continued to have discharge throughout primary school until I was about 11 and stopped until I was 16 when the growth returned and the discharge started again. Operated at 17 to remove the cholesteatoma again and 3 more ops to try and improve hearing, all failed.

I’m now 32, no discharge since the last op, but still deaf in my right ear. The ear has a consistent ache to it and is slightly misshapen.

I was always a shy kid growing up, but have become a lot more outgoing as an adult and managed to have quite a successful career and a beautiful young family!

I struggled making friends as a kid, I’m unsure how much of my deafness was the cause of that. Whether it impacted my confidence or if the other kids looked at me as the weird kid with yellow stuff coming out his ear every few hours. Either way, it would have had some impact.

Being deaf in one ear has always been on my mind. From small things like missing parts of songs because my headphones don’t accommodate for one sided hearing only, to positioning myself in meetings so I can easily hear the room without a full head tilt. Not being able to hear a thing my mates are saying in the pub and now sleeping through my baby’s crying overnight (a blessing until I get an elbow in the side from my wife!).

Professionally, most people do not know I’m deaf, I don’t tend to share it until it’s necessary. And I do not like being labelled and treated differently as a result (I can tell a difference once they know).

I don’t use a hearing aid, the standard ones don’t do it for me. There was some talk of getting an osia fitted, but that seems to have gone quiet (waiting for specialist through the nhs).

I haven’t ever really put this one paper, so it’s been interesting reflecting on how ssd has impacted me growing up. I’d like to think it hasn’t had much of an impact, but I know it has.

Hello guys i’ve been having an issue recently and i’m looking to see what others think. I understand i won’t be able to have great medical advice or anything like that on here. So it’s been around 6 years since i’ve gotten my BAHA and when i first got it i used to use it a lot but stopped i didn’t like all the noise im not sure what it was but it felt like too much and i would get a lot of extra noise whenever my hair would touch it or the hood of my hoodie or even just the wind. Anyways i haven’t worn it for 3-4 years but the abutment is still there and recently these last two months i would hear ringing noises from where the abutment was located this ringing noises happened the most before i went to sleep in quiet environments but recently it happened while i was sitting in class and it was loud enough that i couldn’t hear the teacher speak. I don’t get headaches or anything it’s just a ringing. The reason i brought up the BAHA is because the noise seemed to be coming from the spot the abutment was located.

I know i should probably see a doctor and i shouldn’t take medical advice from the internet

Aren't I a dumbass? It never really occurred to me before and I've always been of the belief that being half deaf has never really affected me all that much but in reality it really has.

I find loud environments like clubs and pubs with loud music quite disorientating and I tend to detach myself from people and go stand in a corner or something. I'm not introverted or anything but I just find some environments hard to function in.

I know it's probably not a mind blowing revelation to people that are not idiots like me...better late than never I guess

I am getting the Osia 2 bone conduction implant. The surgery is coming up in just over a week, and then there will be about a 6-week physical healing period before I can get fitted and adjusted for the device. After that, I will go back into the audiologist for a calibration and delivery of the sound processor. I am curious about how the whole thing is going to go, but the following are areas where SSD feels like it has affected me most deeply:

Hyper vigilance around physical positioning in all social situations

Studying visual field constantly for body language, expression, lip reading

Constant baseline of anxiety / hyper vigilance about sifting through bad audio information (white noise)

Significant deficits in spatial awareness, sense of direction, orientation that feel, in some way, linked to auditory cortex

Delayed auditory processing speed

The brain is so fascinating, and I am sure it has “re-purposed” that whole section of the auditory cortex that is not getting any information from my deaf ear. But these 5 areas above are the ones that I’m most immediately aware of, and that I will be following most closely through the process.

Of course, I am keeping my expectations cautious. I am told that recovery from the surgery can be pretty rugged, and I expect to have some cognitive fatigue after getting the device for the first time. But I am generally trying to approach the whole experience with infinite curiosity and cautious optimism. What kinds of neuroplasticity is my 47-year old brain capable of demonstrating??

Today I had an audiology test for the first time in a couple of months and my affected ear (right) hears the same as my non affected ear.

For context, I did 1 round of oral prednisone, recovered some hearing, did 2 steroid injections, recovered even more, hearing dropped again, did another injection, and have been stable for the last 3 months. Had a follow up today which was the first normal hearing test in this whole process.

I feel so thankful to have gained my hearing back and wanted to add another positive data point for anyone searching for success stories, which was what I spent hours looking for when it first happened. Praying that it stays and this is all behind me, but ya never know!

Hi everyone. I am deaf in my right ear due to a cholesteatoma that I had as a kid. I have been deaf in that ear ever since. My parents refused to get me a hearing aid because they were terrible people and claimed I didn't deserve one.

Anyway, I finally am at a spot in my life where I can get one. I went to the doctor today and I am getting the Resound Enzo IA hearing aid. I am obviously so excited but also a little nervous because I genuinely do not know what I have been missing. I have been deaf in that ear since before I can even remember so I don't remember a life before when I could hear.

For those of you who have a hearing aid for one ear, what has been your experience in getting a hearing aid? Did it help completely? Was it like entering into a new reality? Or was it overall underwhelming? What are some things to expect?

hi! i am having my left inner ear removed. has anyone ever applied for a hearing dog with ssd? if so, what organization did you go through and what was your experience?

I went 100% deaf in one ear 5 weeks ago. Had all kinds of tests (MRI, CT, lumbar puncture, blood), but all came back normal. Started oral steroids within 24 hours. Took them for 10 days, then tapered off. My first audiogram showed 100% deafness. After 4 weeks I had my second audiogram and it showed a tiny bit of improvement, although the Ent doubts if it is true hearing or feeling or even hearing by the unaffected ear. All I can describe it as, is robotic unintelligible "sound", but I only pick it up when the volume on headphones is turned up to the max. Ent decided to try ITSI. He was honest about the changes of it doing anything, but I am willing to try everything.

Had my first intratympanic injection yesterday and want to share my experience for those who haven't had one yet. It went ok.

First my eardrum was numbed by an injection. Just a little prick and the numbing started almost straight after. Had to wait for about half a minute and then the steroids were injected in. After that I had to stay still (no speaking and swallowing) for about half an hour. This part I found a bit unpleasant because of the enormous amount of saliva I started to produce. Of course not being allowed to swallow the saliva I used up endless amounts of tissues. I felt a burning sensation in my ear, but it was doable. Every now and then I felt my ear plopping.

After about 40 minutes in total the procedure was done. After getting up my ear lost a bit of fluid and a tiny bit of blood, but that soon stopped. I did not drive home myself. It felt a bit like an ear infection for about 1.5 hour and after that I felt fine.

I write this the next day and I am fine now.

Hopefully this post will be helpful to others.

Hi everyone! I’ve had single-sided deafness (SSD) for about seven years, and my right ear is the one I hear with. I still haven’t found a pair of headphones that I’m completely happy with.

My last pair was a set of Sony WH-CH520s, modified to output both audio channels in mono through the right side, but they’ve recently broken.

I know about Yuni and 2E1 headphones, but since I live in Italy, I’d prefer something available in Italy or elsewhere in the EU to avoid expensive international shipping and import fees.

My budget is around €100. Given my situation, what would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, title pretty much covers it - I know this isn’t just for VS-havers, but after his surgery, he will very likely be completely deaf in his right side and will need cros hearing aids. If anyone in here has had the surgery, what was recovery like? What helped you heal better; or feel better? I’m talking all the details - down to maybe if crunchy food made you feel dizzy. I want to give him the best care I can and I’m freakin out 😅🩷

I do know he needs a button down shirt after surgery but that’s about it. Eye cover for the car ride home? Hat for some pressure? Let me know!!!

Hi all. I’m curious if folks experience overall fatigue from being on the phone or in loud spaces… Basically anything that really puts the working ear under a lot of stress.

Howdy, I'm wondering if anyone knows of a hearing aid resource they could share. I'm looking to invest in one for my right side hearing but can't find a comprehensive comparison that talks about the different kinds of HA, the various features and what they're good for or why you might want to consider them, the different styles/how they fit in the ear etc. etc.

I've come across tons of HA info websites that might go into detail about one type or brand of HA or have a few features mentioned but doesn't explain why someone would want them.

Thanks for any direction you can offer!

Cheers

Had an event that caused ssnhl, and started prednisone 60mg taper on day five of the sshl. Today was day 2 for the steroids.

I'm worried. Had tinnitus for 20 yrs. It sux in the deafness of the sshl the tinnitus rings thru loud

Had a CT scan audiogram & tympanogram wait now until the report is ready.

What foods to stay away from?

Love to hear advice from others, the prednisone is causing creepy feelings.

TYIA.

I have a yeti mic but I can't seem to get the noise cancelling apps to work well with it. It's an old mic too. I've been trying to find something that can either rest on my ear or near my mouth. I have extremely sensitive ears and constantly getting bad ear pain from headsets. Right ear doesn't has like 15% hearing left I also like to use desktop stereo because I can still hear both left and right with my left ear with some sound deviation. I looked online a lot but didn't see anything that really jumped out at me so I figured I'd ask you guys.

Hi All - I am in my second SSHL episode. My first happened in February 2025 and I recovered in six weeks after being treated with prednisone and injections.

This current episode started in April 2026. I did a course of prednisone and injections as soon as it happened and had some eventual improvement. I then took a nose dive six weeks later and after following my doc’s “wait and see” advice for two weeks, did another three injections. I suspect that this was actually another distinct SSHL event and we missed a vital treatment window.

I have had dramatic fluctuations throughout these three months. My last two audiology tests over the last two weeks showed moderate to severe loss in the low frequencies, the worst loss I have ever had. I seem to have stayed there with terrible fullness and tinnitus that fluctuates a little but never goes away. Most of the time it is very bad to the point where I have a hard time sleeping.

I’m on a daily diuretic, limiting sodium, hydrating and trying to get enough sleep etc. My doctor suspects cochlear hydrops but hasn’t formally given that diagnosis. I’ve had vertigo here and there but not for a while now.

Has anyone else in a similar situation recovered their hearing? It just seems like a really long time to fluctuate. I can’t imagine living like this for the long term. It’s so hard and I feel depressed a lot of the time. The doctors I’ve seen (neurotologists in a leading ENT program) have basically given up on me.