u/Springeringing

I developed diplacusis in my left ear about a week ago after a sinus infection. It started with tinnitus, then muffled hearing, and eventually the sound in my left ear shifted to a higher pitch.

Now when I listen to voices or music, it sounds like two people are speaking or singing at once, which is really disturbing and makes it hard to enjoy sound normally.

My ENT prescribed high-dose oral steroids as well as HBOT. I’ve been reading online (mainly Reddit) that some people are given antibiotics instead, so I’m a bit confused about whether steroids are the right treatment for this.

Has anyone had a similar experience with diplacusis after an infection? Did it improve over time, and what treatment helped you?

40F, Hashimoto’s + thyroidectomy (on levothyroxine).

After a sinus infection I developed sudden left ear tinnitus + sound distortion/pitch change.

ENT recommended high-dose steroids + HBOT, but I haven’t started yet.

I also have osteoarthritis in my knees and I’m worried about AVN and other steroid side effects.

Has anyone here taken high-dose steroids for SSNHL and had side effects?

Hi doctors,

I’m a 40-year-old female (168 cm, 79 kg), non-smoker, non-drinker.

I developed a sinus infection about a week ago. Shortly after, I started having constant buzzing (tinnitus) in my left ear. Sounds in that ear also seem higher in pitch/distorted compared to the right.

I had a mild reduction in hearing in the left ear for about 8–9 years, but it was stable and not changing before this infection.

Since the sinus infection, the change was sudden. I also occasionally notice mild itchiness inside the same ear.

I saw an ENT and had a hearing test done. They suggested high-dose oral steroid tablets and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). I have not started treatment yet because I’m concerned about side effects of high-dose steroids.

Medical history:

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC)

On levothyroxine 137 mcg daily

No smoking or alcohol

My questions:

Does this sound consistent with sudden sensorineural hearing loss or Eustachian tube dysfunction after infection?

How urgent is starting steroids in this situation?

Is HBOT actually beneficial in cases like this?

What are the realistic risks of a short high-dose steroid course in someone with my history?

Thank you.