Abstract
Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is a serious health problem, as doubt remains about the efficacy of treatment and prognosis at high incidence and etiology still unclear. It is an acute neuro-otologic condition.
The treatment should be initiated without delay, within 10-14 days of the occurrence of hearing disorder at the latest. There is no single consensus on the treatment, corticotherapy being recognized as the primary treatment.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) should be used in ISSNHL as part of a comprehensive primary therapy. The HBOT treatment of a patient should start ideally within 2-4 weeks of the onset of the disease.
HBOT as a rescue treatment (after exhausting previous treatment options) should be administered within 3 months, but no later than within 6 months of the occurrence of hearing impairment. Starting HBOT later than 6 months after the onset of ISSNHL is not recommended.