Rrringing ear

Tuesday morning last week, 10 April, I got up and found my left ear had lost hearing, almost totally -- very faint.  There was also ringing and hissing.  I had to meet a friend at the Met Museum at 10:00.  So, I rode a bus and went; I had to walk on her left to converse with her with my good right ear.  By the afternoon, when I was on my way back, I regained some hearing.  The next morning, I heard faintly but by the time I sat down for breakfast, I could hear.  But the ear felt muffled, and with the left ear alone, the words were blurred somewhat -- a sort of analogy to blurred vision.  By the end of the week I heard well enough though considerably less well than with the right ear.  I could rule out the Ménière's Disease since I didn't have vertigo and suffered no loss of balance.  Still, I decided to do some homework. I googled for "a sudden loss of hearing in one ear", and there were several entries; the one of the Mayo Clinic was especially helpful.  It said that causes and treatments are uncertain but a prompt medical attention is important.  Very useful.

Yesterday, Wednesday, I was awakened by the alarm, which sounded faint.  I tested the left ear by closing the right with a finger, and I didn't hear any ringing of the alarm. After ten minutes, hearing came back.  But, urged by a friend, I made an appointment with my personal doctor and I was able to see her at 1:30; she immediately contacted the otorhinolaryngologist or ENT in her circle (oh, a wonderful word this, otorhinolaryngology, my favorite after sphygmomanometer), and urged her to squeeze me in so that I could see her right away.  So, I went; I told her that I ruled out the Ménière's Disease for lack of vertigo and unbalance, and figured that it's sensorineural, just to show off my "erudition" in my usual naughty way. I also told her that I tested hearing with a tuning fork.

The otolaryngologist (for short) prescribed steroids (Prednisone), which I picked up on my way home, and I started the tablets, this morning, Friday, at breakfast, the first four at once of the daily four for three days, then three at once for three days, two after that, and finally one -- altogether 30 tablets in one week, I was admonished that I should keep strictly to the regimen, or else the steroids do no good at all.  So, by the end of 12 days, I may start growing hair on my chest and arms and become muscle-bound. Oh, well.  This afternoon, I went to see the audiologist for an audiogram, which she said wasn't too bad.  Then, at the time of this writing, the end of the day, the steroid treatment is already showing the effect; the words are heard much more clearly in my left ear. So, I seem to be well on the recovery; my ear doctor -- otorhinolaryngologist -- was away today but she is supposed to call me on Monday.

Life meets bumps here and there, up and down, often when least expected, to give it spice it needs to be lively.