Dr. Benjamin Wei with co-investigator Prof. Stephen O'Leary
Sudden sensorineural (“inner ear”) hearing loss (SSHL), is an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days. The most common treatment for sudden deafness, especially when the cause is unknown, is corticosteroids. Previously, steroids were given in pill form. However, intratympanic (through the eardrum) injection of steroids has become a common practice based on limited retrospective studies. We proposed a randomized double-blinded control trial study to investigate level 1 evidence for clinical usage of intratympanic steroid treatment.