What do you do if you wake up and cannot hear?

I see many patients who report that they woke up one day and noticed they cannot hear out of one ear. Many disregard this feeling and often assume it's allergies, fluid in the ear or just a fluke. This is their first mistake. A sudden hearing loss can be very serious and should not be ignored. If not treated, this hearing loss can be permanent. There is a good probability the hearing can come back IF it's treated within the first 24-48 hours. The first step to take would be to make an appointment with an ear nose and throat specialist, but preferably an otologist (specializes in ear conditions only). The doctor will most likely prescribe a steroid, DEPENDING ON THE DIAGNOSIS, but that is to be determined depending on the severity and time duration of hearing loss. The most important thing to remember is DO NOT IGNORE IT!!