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Prednisone works for severe hearing loss!

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I’ve been on prednisone for a short while for the terrible hearing loss that handicapped me. I’ve noticed when I decrease the dose my ears begin to feel congested and I lose even more hearing. What is that symptom mean? I’ve also noticed that when I take the prednisone I feel ear pain and tinnitus like it is working

I think a month on prednisone could save my hearing. I take NAC, glutathione vit ACE, ubiquinol ginko also.

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I’m not a doctor, but cortisteroid reduces inflammation and swelling. So, reducing the dose probably reduces the drug’s ability to reduce congestion. Unfortunately, Prednisone is not a drug you can safely take for lomg periods of time. Sounds like time to have a good talk with an .

I definitely have ear popping, ear canal pain and tinnitus. I’m just afraid I started the prednisone too late and now my hearing cells have just died. I think 80mg is a better dose. I can’t get any info from my , I take it the tympanic injections are dangerous and can lead to permanent deafness and balance loss??

Increased pain, as you reduce the prednisone dosage, is a symptom that you need to report to your . The increase in pain is most likely indicating that the underlying inflammation is still there. Mike and I are not Doctors, so please contact your ENT.

If your is not answering your questions you either need to ask more pointed questions or shop for a new ENT. A lot of Drs. are super intelligent but are not good communicators. Educate yourself by reading whatever you can find on the Internet. Make a list of questions and go back to your ENT. Some Drs. when hit with a bunch of questions will take the time to better explain your condition and their diagnosis. Others will get defensive and suggest that if you don’t trust their judgement maybe you need to find a new Dr. Either way you will come out ahead. Good luck.

I hope the prednisone is working for you, but I’m not sure that ear popping and tinnitus are symptoms of returning hearing; indeed, they are often symptoms of loss. Since my loss, I continue to have those symptoms whenever I am not wearing my hearing aids. I know that you are anxious and holding out hope for this to work—and we are all rooting for you—but the only way you will know if the prednisone is working is if your improves.

As for the increased congestion as you decrease dosage, that is to be expected as you taper off a massive dose of prednisone like you’ve been taking. As I’ve tried to explain to you before, prednisone has major withdrawal symptoms as your body becomes dependent upon it and stops producing its own supply of cortisol. You are likely to experience a return of inflammation as well as a number of other symptoms, especially at the high dose you’ve been taking. Particularly dangerous can be the mental health effects of withdrawal as a lack of cortisol messes with your brain chemistry; I recommend having someone you trust monitor your mood and watch for signs of paranoia and depression.

Note however that congestion-related hearing loss is unrelated to the sensorineural hearing loss you’ve been experiencing, and does not pose a long-term risk to your hearing. Presumably any conductive loss you’re experiencing will be temporary.

Edited

While i thoroughly agree with you, I would point out that I’ve twice been on prednisone, first for a respiratory infection and more recently for my SSHL and neither time have been given my prednisone in any sort of packet. My taper was always clearly marked on the bottle, but i had to administer it myself. I think that packaging prednisone in a pre-dosed blister pack would be a great idea, though. I imagine that there are a great number of people who would be unable to follow the taper successfully.

the prednisone is great, my hearing comprehension increased about 50% on it AT LEAST. but I went to a mathematics lecture and couldn’t understand anything and couldn’t follow the discussion, was completely lost. I couldn’t hear one student speaking in the front of class.
NAC is supposed to lower ROS. but I wouldn’t take it long term because it may cause heart/lung damage thicken heart walls. glutathione may be a better option to lower ROS safely
www.pipingrock.com1

In reply to @math13

@math13 said:

the prednisone is great, my hearing comprehension increased about 50% on it AT LEAST. but I went to a mathematics lecture and couldn’t understand anything and couldn’t follow the discussion, was completely lost. I couldn’t hear one student speaking in the front of class.
NAC is supposed to lower ROS. but I wouldn’t take it long term because it may cause heart/lung damage thicken heart walls. glutathione may be a better option to lower ROS safely
www.pipingrock.com

Obviously it doesn’t work that great because you still can’t hear while your taking it (“couldn’t understand anything and couldn’t follow the discussion, was completely lost”). As to the improved hearing comprehension how did you arrive at the 50% at least number, with a new hearing test conducted by an audiologist or did you just guess like you seem to be doing with your self medicating?

I have no idea if he is a spammer, but he PM’d me basically restating the same stuff he posted here and I tried to answer him and he sent 3-4 more PM’s basically saying the same stuff he was saying in the thread. I didn’t respond anymore though.

I can tell you I went to my doctor a few years ago with a total loss of hearing (more than what I have now) in one ear only. He prescribed me 20 mg of prednisone and withing 48 hrs my hearing came back to levels of before. Not sure what I had, maybe ear infection, but it did work.

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