Intratympanic corticosteroid injection substantially improves hearing levels in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

This study aimed to examine the efficacy of intratympanic injection of long-acting betamethasone vs. dexamethasone to treat SSNHL.

The study included 31 individuals with poor prognosis and those not responding to systemic steroids. Participants were randomly assigned into either the dexamethasone group or the long-acting betamethasone group. Slow injection of dexamethasone (0.4 ml/mg) or long-acting betamethasone (0.1 ml/mg) was given into the superior-anterior area of the tympanic membrane.

The administration was done in the form of six injections twice/week for about three weeks. Immediately after the therapy and 1, 2, and 6 months after completion of treatment, audiometry was carried out and comparatively evaluated with the pre-injection values.

The Speech Reception Threshold displayed improvements in both the arms immediately after therapy and the follow-up period, in comparison with baseline. Improvement in the Speech Discrimination Score was witnessed in both the arms directly after therapy and at a one-month follow-up. Compared to the Beta arm, the dexamethasone arm  displayed clinically better improvement in hearing.  

Intratympanic corticosteroid injection has a positive and promising impact on the hearing level in individuals suffering from SSNHL.