[Management of sudden neurosensory hearing loss in a Primary Care Centre].
Sudden hearing loss is a rapid loss of neurosensory hearing that may occur within hours or days in an apparently healthy patient. Its origins are variable and multifactorial. Most patients do not recover hearing if not treated, and some even develop cophosis (deafness) in the affected ear. It is an otological emergency, as early therapeutic management offers a better hearing prognosis. As there is limited knowledge on this condition, it may be underdiagnosed in Primary Health Care Centers. It should be suspected in patients with abrupt hearing loss or tinnitus. Sophisticated instruments are not required for its diagnosis, just a detailed history, basic otoscopy, and proper interpretation of the hearing test. In this way, an accurate diagnosis is achieved in most cases, which is confirmed by audiometry.
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España. Electronic address: fdamproto@gmail.com.
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F
Muñoz-Proto
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
C
C
Carnevale
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
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N
Bejarano-Panadés
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
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L
Ferrán-de la Cierva
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
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S
Mas-Mercant
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, España.
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P
Sarría-Echegaray
D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D038781:Otoscopy / Q000379:methods; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
Alteraciones en la audición; Hearing disorders; Hearing loss; Hipoacusia neurosensorial súbita; Pérdida auditiva; Sudden hearing loss