Lifestyle

Sudden Hearing Loss in One Ear Can Be a Medical Emergency. Signs That Mean See a Doctor Right Away

By Erica Coleman · November 2, 2026

Waking up with one ear that sounds muffled or plugged is easy to blame on a cold, allergies or earwax. When the change comes on fast, health agencies say waiting to see whether it clears up can hurt the odds of getting that hearing back.

The condition is called sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or sudden deafness. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders describes it as an unexplained, rapid loss of hearing either all at once or over a few days. It happens because something is wrong with the sensory organs of the inner ear, and it frequently affects only one ear.

“There are not many emergencies of the ear, but sudden hearing loss is one thing that we would consider an emergency,” otology physician assistant Caitlin Sukalac told Cleveland Clinic. The clinic says the hearing loss develops over three days or fewer and is most common in adults in their 40s and 50s, though it can happen to anyone.

These are the signs described by the NIDCD, Cleveland Clinic and ENThealth, the patient site of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Hearing gone on waking. The NIDCD says people often discover the loss when they wake up in the morning.

Trouble on the phone. Others first notice it when they try to use the affected ear, such as on a phone call, according to the NIDCD.

A loud pop. Some people hear a loud, alarming “pop” just before their hearing disappears, the institute says.

Fullness or pressure in the ear. The NIDCD lists a feeling of ear fullness. ENThealth describes it as feeling like the ear needs to pop.

Ringing in the ear. Tinnitus can come with the hearing loss. ENThealth says the ringing is usually loud at first and eases over the following months.

Dizziness. The NIDCD and ENThealth both list dizziness, and ENThealth includes a spinning sensation, balance problems or vertigo. Cleveland Clinic says these may appear just before or after the hearing loss.

People sometimes put off a visit because they think the problem is allergies, a sinus infection or earwax, the NIDCD says. Instead, it advises, consider sudden deafness symptoms a medical emergency and visit a doctor immediately. Britain’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says adults whose hearing dropped suddenly within the past 30 days, without an outer or middle ear cause, should be seen within 24 hours by an ear, nose and throat service or an emergency department.

About half of people recover some or all of their hearing on their own, usually within one to two weeks, the NIDCD says. But it warns that delaying diagnosis and treatment can make treatment less effective. Steroids are the most common treatment, given as pills or injected through the eardrum. According to ENThealth, which summarizes the academy’s 2019 guideline, initial treatment should be given within two weeks, and the earlier it starts, the better the chances of recovery. ENThealth adds that people over 65 have a much lower chance of getting their hearing back.

A doctor will typically order a hearing test, and may order an MRI to rule out a rare noncancerous tumor on the hearing nerve, according to ENThealth and Cleveland Clinic.

NICE also says hearing loss in one ear with facial droop or altered sensation on the same side should be seen within 24 hours, or handled as a possible stroke if one is suspected. The CDC says sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking, trouble seeing or loss of balance are stroke signs that call for 911 right away.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. See a doctor promptly for any sudden change in hearing, and call 911 for signs of a stroke. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.