Management of acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss: a survey of UK ENT consultants

Acute sensorineural hearing loss is a rare event. As yet, there is no standard agreed treatment of this condition because there appears to be little reliable evidence that any one treatment will improve the hearing in these cases. This postal questionnaire was conducted to ascertain the current management of unilateral, acute, idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss by ENT consultants in the UK to see if there is at least a consensus of approach which might lay the foundation for an agreed treatment. Approximately 60% of consultants would admit a patient presenting with these symptoms and only 2% would not prescribe any form of treatment. Of those who do treat the patient, virtually all (99.2%) would prescribe steroids.