Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C R Meltzer.
Otitis media is commonly diagnosed in children and is often successfully treated with myringotomy and tube insertion. It also occurs in adults but is frequently undetected and therefore untreated. Adults with hearing loss are often assumed to need a hearing aid, without consideration of a treatable problem. Physicians should be aware of otitis media in adults and the benefits of prompt medical or surgical intervention.
This article describes a patient with documented sudden, severe, unilateral, sensorineural hearing loss occurring four days after audiometric evaluation for nonspecific complaints. He was hospitalized immediately; treatment included I.V. histamine and oral steroid therapy. He noted improvement within two days, and serial audiometry has documented recovery to the initial audiometric levels. We believe that this documentation of recovery to pre-illness levels is unique.