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Is Cortisone Advisable After Suffering A Concussion?

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Posted on Fri, 16 Dec 2016
Question: My 22 year old son was in an auto accident a couple days ago with an air bag deployment. ER said fine for injuries, but his hearing now cuts in and periodically. He says its fine and has only happened once today, but I read online that cortisone is sometimes prescribed after air bag deployment to protect ear. Do you know if cortisone is the standard of care. We tried to find a local ENT today, but everyone is on holiday.

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Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Details as discussed below:

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1. Air bag deployment leads to concussion. This may lead to a Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) in hearing.

2. Get a Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA) done, preferably tomorrow and the day after. If this TTS persists beyond three days, even if intermittent, he should be examined by an ENT Specialist. This will help rule out other causes for hearing loss, such as Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL) in which case the treatment can be different.

3. Steroids (such as cortisone) will help protect the hearing. In high doses, they are the mainstay in the treatment of Sudden SensoriNeural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). The ideal treatment window is within 4 weeks.

I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them.

Regards.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sumit Bhatti

Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 2685 Questions

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Is Cortisone Advisable After Suffering A Concussion?

Brief Answer: Details as discussed below: Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for your query. 1. Air bag deployment leads to concussion. This may lead to a Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) in hearing. 2. Get a Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA) done, preferably tomorrow and the day after. If this TTS persists beyond three days, even if intermittent, he should be examined by an ENT Specialist. This will help rule out other causes for hearing loss, such as Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL) in which case the treatment can be different. 3. Steroids (such as cortisone) will help protect the hearing. In high doses, they are the mainstay in the treatment of Sudden SensoriNeural Hearing Loss (SSNHL). The ideal treatment window is within 4 weeks. I hope that I have answered your query. If you have any more questions I will be available to answer them. Regards.