Pitch Perfect: Pianist Fights Hearing Loss With Oxygen Therapy

For Chris Madden, finely-tuned hearing isn’t just a gift, it’s a job requirement. As an assistant professor of piano pedagogy professor 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. “I was biking and couldn’t hear the cars passing me on my left side,” Chris remembered. “By Wednesday, I couldn’t hear anything at all out of my left ear. It was very disorienting.”

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

“I kept thinking, ‘How is this even possible?’” Chris said. “Just a few days before, I felt fine. It was devastating and scary. I was mad, but I was also determined to be that one person in 10 who got their hearing back.”

Hyperbaric Oxygen: A Different Kind of Therapy

While undergoing steroid treatments, Chris continued looking for additional treatment options. “I was going to do whatever it took to get my hearing back,” he said.

Through research, Chris discovered hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT. As luck would have it, North Kansas City Hospital, 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, the clinical coordinator for NKCH’s Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center.

“The sudden hearing loss indication is actually one of the newest indications to be approved for hyperbaric oxygen treatment in recent years.”

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 Hyperbaric Chamber

From the time Chris called NKCH to the time he started hyperbaric oxygen treatment therapy, less than 24 hours had passed. “They helped me with insurance approval and got me in the next day,” Chris said.

After looking at pictures of hyperbaric chambers online, Chris admitted he was a little intimidated. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it didn’t really matter, because I knew I had to do it if I wanted my hearing back,” Chris said. “I just told myself it was my daily spa treatment.”

Chris 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 because of the pressure. 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,” he laughed. “Beethoven had lost his hearing, and it just seemed appropriate to watch those performances while undergoing treatment for hearing loss.”

The End Result: 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.”

By the end of treatment, Chris’ follow-up hearing tests were all within the normal range. “My ear doctor said it’s really 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.

“It’s really important to be in tune with your body,” he added. “When you think something is wrong, don’t put it off. Try to take care of it as soon as possible so you can get the best outcome.”