Pitch Perfect

For Chris Madden, finely tuned hearing isn’t just a gift, it’s a job requirement. As an assistant professor of piano pedagogy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory, Chris relies on his hearing to help his students improve their playing. So, when he woke one Friday morning and noticed the hearing in his left ear was nearly gone, he was naturally concerned.

“At first, I thought it was just congestion, so I took allergy medicine over the weekend, thinking that would help,” Chris recalled. But by Monday, his hearing hadn’t improved.

Sudden Hearing Loss

An ear doctor diagnosed Chris with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or sudden hearing loss. The condition is considered a medical emergency. It requires immediate treatment to regain any level of hearing.

Since Chris’ sudden hearing loss was thought to be caused by a virus, his ear doctor prescribed oral steroids and a series of steroid ear injections.

The ear doctor warned Chris that even after steroid treatment, only one in 10 people fully regain their hearing.

“It was devastating and scary,” Chris said. “I was determined to be that one person in 10 who got their hearing back.”

A Different Kind of Therapy

While undergoing steroid treatments, Chris continued looking for additional options. Through research, he discovered hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT. As luck would have it, NKCH, which is about 15 minutes from Chris’ home, offers HBOT in its accredited Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center.

“Hyperbaric oxygen treatment uses 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber to treat hard-to-heal wounds and other indications, including sudden sensorineural hearing loss,” explained Wendy Mall-McKee, CHRN, CWCN, clinical coordinator for NKCH’s Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center.

Breathing in pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber helps the body fight bacteria.

Perfect Timing

Timing is key when using HBOT to treat sudden hearing loss. “The therapy should start within two weeks of a sudden hearing loss diagnosis,” Wendy said. “But, sooner is better for a better result.” Fortunately, Chris was still in the two-week window for effective treatment.

Inside the Chamber

From the time Chris called NKCH to the time he started hyperbaric oxygen treatment therapy, less than 24 hours had passed.

He spent two hours a day, five days a week for 20 days in one of NKCH’s three hyperbaric oxygen chambers. 
“It’s a strange sensation, being in a tube for two hours every day with your ears popping all the time,” Chris said. “The first week was strange, but I got used to it after that.”

During his treatment sessions, Chris watched DVDs of piano performances to pass the time. “I watched a lot of Beethoven performances,” Chris laughed. “Beethoven had lost his hearing, and it just seemed appropriate to watch those performances while undergoing treatment for hearing loss.”

Music to His Ears

Over the course of treatment, Chris’ hearing slowly started to return. “What’s interesting is that my hearing went away overnight, but it didn’t come back overnight. It came back in bits and pieces,” he said.

By the end of treatment, Chris’ follow-up hearing tests were all within the normal range. “My ear doctor said it was a remarkable recovery,” Chris said. “I would say my hearing is 99% back to normal.”

Chris believes his recovery was the result of the combination of steroids, HBOT and the fact he sought treatment quickly.

“I learned sudden hearing loss is more common than people think and how important quick treatment is for the best outcome,” Chris said.

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NKCH has the only accredited Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center in the Northland and is one of only six accredited centers in Missouri.