Sudden sensorineural hearing loss in a multiple sclerosis case

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. MS involves different regions of the central nervous system in different periods, and causes demyelination. MS is a neuromotor disorder which progresses with remissions and relapses. Symptoms of MS may regress completely or heal after the relapses leaving sequelae. Sudden sensorinerural hearing loss (SSHL) is hearing loss of 30 dB or more over at least three contiguous audiometric frequencies that develops over a period of a few hours to 3 days. In 4-10 % of the MS patients, sensorineural hearing loss occurs between relapses or remissions. In this case, audiotory brainstem response (ABR) test is the most appropriate test for the diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss in MS patients. In this article, we will discuss a patient diagnosed as MS who presented with sudden sensorineural hearing loss during the remission of the disease.