Abstract
Abstract
Background:
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is generally considered irreversible if not treated within the acute window. Chronic sensorineural hearing loss persisting for years is widely regarded as permanent, with no effective restorative treatment available. We report a case of 19-year bilateral SSNHL that achieved complete hearing recovery following combined Chinese-Western medicine treatment.
Case Presentation: A 45-year-old male presented with a 19-year history of bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (onset in 2006). At the time of onset, he had no history of occupational noise exposure. He was first treated at Liangshan Prefecture Hospital with no improvement, and was subsequently transferred to Mianyang People's Hospital and Mianyang Specialized Otolaryngology Hospital, where his hearing loss progressed despite treatment. One year later, he was examined at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and was told the condition was incurable. Consequently, he received no further treatment for the following 18 years. Notably, he subsequently worked in a factory with chronic exposure to loud machinery noise for many years. Pre-treatment pure-tone audiometry showed right ear hearing at 80 dB HL and left ear at 60 dB HL. After 16 days of combined Chinese-Western medicine treatment in 2025, hearing completely normalized. An independent follow-up pure-tone audiometry at Mianyang Otolaryngology Hospital on November 2, 2025, confirmed normal hearing in both ears (right and left ear PTA: 20 dB HL). At the most recent follow-up (September 23, 2026), pure-tone audiometry at West China Fourth Hospital confirmed normal hearing in both ears (right and left ear PTA: 15 dB HL), with normal middle ear function and no recurrence.
Conclusion: This case demonstrates that even long-standing SSNHL, previously deemed irreversible, can be completely reversed by combined Chinese-Western medicine. The sustained recovery over 1 year post-treatment, confirmed by independent tertiary hospitals, challenges the conventional view that chronic sensorineural hearing loss is permanent.