Ok, so you have woken up and found you suddenly can’t hear anything, it’s a bit scary isn’t it, what do you do?
1. Seek medical attention
Contact NHS 111 or your GP right away, or visit your nearest Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) or Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.
Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency known as Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). You can read more info about SSNHL on the RNID website.
2. Set up a live transcription app
Before you go, install or enable a live transcription app on your smartphone to help you understand what people are saying. The easiest options are the Google Live Transcribe service, or Apple’s Live Captions.
Please follow the quick step-by-step guides below…
- Open Settings on your phone
- Tap Accessibility
- Select Live Transcribe
- Tap Open Live Transcribe or toggle the service On
- Accept the microphone and device permissions by tapping OK or Allow
- See more information on Google’s help page
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Accessibility
- Scroll down and tap Live Captions
- Toggle the Live Captions switch to On
- See more information on Apple’s help page
3. Let People Around You Know
Communicate what is happening by typing a message on your phone, sending a text, or speaking directly. Even if you cannot hear your own voice, you can still talk to those around you.
What to Expect at the Doctor
When you see a healthcare professional, they will assess your condition, potentially perform a quick hearing test (including bone conduction), and provide guidance or medication – commonly a course of steroids. They may also refer you to the ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) department for a follow-up.
Personal Insight
In the early days, using a live transcription app was invaluable for understanding (most of) what people are saying, espcially doctors . While slightly delayed and not completely perfect, it works offline (you may need to enable this in the app settings) and provides a fast, accessible way to communicate.
In Summary:
- Contact NHS 111, your GP, or visit A&E/UTC
- Install a live transcribe app so that you can better understand what people are saying
- Let people around you know