article_snippet: Leesa is one of up to 6,000 adults a year estimated to develop idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, or unexplained hearing loss, that usually develops suddenly, or within three days, usually in one ear.
article_snippet: Often, sudden hearing loss can be attributed to infections, certain medications, head injuries and meningitis, because these can all affect the inner ear.
article_snippet: Sensorineural hearing loss is down to problems in the inner ear or with the auditory nerve.
article_snippet: ‘Eighty-five per cent of the time no one ever knows why sudden sensorineural hearing loss occurs because we can’t get to the inner ear to examine the inner ear without risking damaging the inner ear, or damaging the brain,’ says Mr Phillips.
article_snippet: A benign tumour on an inner ear nerve may also cause sudden hearing loss — but this is rare.
article_snippet: Whatever the cause, losing your hearing suddenly can be ‘very traumatic’ says Mr Phillips.
article_snippet: Waking up one morning having suddenly lost your hearing is considered a medical emergency and, if this happens, you should see a doctor that day, advises Mr Phillips.
article_snippet: A nasty consequence of Leesa (pictured) hearing loss has been severe tinnitus (in which a phantom ringing or buzzing is heard) in Leesa (pictured) .
article_snippet: People with hearing loss often develop tinnitus, explains Mr Phillips.
article_snippet: The 41-year-old marketing manager, from South-West London, suddenly lost hearing in one ear in 2009 and the other in 2010, both overnight.