Sudden Deafness After a Late-Night Shower – The High Price of a Seemingly Harmless Habit!

A 35-year-old man was hospitalized with symptoms including numbness on the left side of his face, headache, dizziness, nausea, ear ringing, and hearing loss. Notably, his left ear had completely lost hearing.

Recently, the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases reported a case of a man who nearly lost his hearing permanently due to the habit of taking late-night showers with cold water.

The patient, N.H.P. (35 years old, residing in Hanoi), was admitted to the hospital’s Premium Clinic Center with numbness on the left side of his face, headache, dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, and hearing impairment. Alarmingly, he had complete hearing loss in his left ear.

According to Dr. Trinh Thuy Lien, an ENT specialist, the patient was admitted within 5 hours of symptom onset and was immediately referred for an MRI scan to rule out early stroke or acoustic neuroma. ENT endoscopy showed no abnormalities, but audiometry results revealed moderate to severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear (55dB, type C).

The cause was identified as sudden vasospasm of the microcirculation in the inner ear due to cold water exposure during a late-night shower.

The patient's medical history revealed that he worked at a car repair shop and often came home late at night. Because of his work schedule, he frequently had to shower very late.

“On average, there are 5 to 6 days each month when I return home at 2–3 a.m. I know showering late isn’t good, but I haven’t been able to change this habit,” he shared.

After two days of intensive treatment, the patient’s hearing in the left ear significantly improved to 22dB. By the fifth day, his hearing had fully recovered to 15dB—equivalent to his right ear. Other symptoms, including facial numbness, tinnitus, dizziness, and nausea, also disappeared.

According to Dr. Lien, sudden deafness is a medical emergency that can occur at any age. It often begins in the morning after waking up and typically affects only one ear. While the exact cause is not always clear, it is commonly associated with viral infections, vascular spasm or blockage, acoustic neuroma, allergies, metabolic disorders, or inner ear fluid imbalance.

“The ‘golden window’ for treating sudden deafness is within the first 24–48 hours after symptom onset. Delayed treatment significantly reduces the chances of recovery and increases the risk of permanent hearing loss,” Dr. Lien warned.

She further advised that unhealthy habits such as staying up late, showering at night, excessive alcohol consumption, irregular eating, exposure to loud noise, or prolonged use of headphones at high volume can all contribute to the risk of sudden hearing loss.

“If you experience any unusual symptoms like hearing loss, tinnitus, or dizziness, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention for timely diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Lien emphasized.