Emergency Hearing Tests: When You Need Urgent Help

Most hearing concerns can be addressed with a routine appointment, but some situations require urgent or emergency action. Knowing when to seek immediate help could make the difference in preserving your hearing.

When hearing loss is an emergency

The following situations should be treated as medical emergencies:

• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) — a rapid loss of hearing in one or both ears over hours or days, often described as hearing that "drops" or goes "dead." This requires treatment within 24–72 hours for the best chance of recovery.
• Hearing loss with severe dizziness or vertigo — may indicate conditions such as Ménière's disease, labyrinthitis, or vestibular neuritis
• Hearing loss following head trauma — may indicate damage to the ear structures
• Discharge from the ear — particularly if bloody or accompanied by pain, which may indicate a perforated eardrum or infection

What to do in an emergency

If you experience sudden hearing loss or any of the above symptoms:

1. Contact your GP immediately — request an emergency or same-day appointment. Explain that you have sudden hearing loss, as this should be treated as urgent.
2. Go to A&E — if you cannot reach your GP or if symptoms are severe (particularly if accompanied by facial weakness, severe vertigo, or head injury).
3. Call NHS 111 — for out-of-hours advice on urgent hearing concerns.

Treatment for sudden hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is often treated with high-dose oral steroids, which are most effective when started within 24–72 hours of symptom onset. Your GP or A&E doctor may also refer you urgently to an ENT specialist for further investigation.

For non-emergency but urgent hearing concerns — such as a sudden worsening of existing hearing loss or severe ear pain — contact your GP for a same-day appointment or call NHS 111 for guidance.