[0scill8r]

I'm a cochlear implant surgeon at the University of South Florida (otology/neurotology). I doubt Rush's hearing loss is due to using Vicodin. Gail, your "pinched cervical nerve" theory sounds like claptrap from the chiropractor. It is far more likely that he suffers from an autoimmune hearing loss, in which the body's immune system attacks the inner ear (similar to rheumatoid arthritis, where the body's immune system attacks the cartilage in a joint).

Noise is also an unlikely cause of his hearing loss, because noise-induced hearing loss occurs gradually over decades, not months. Of course, if a hand grenade goes off in your immediate surroundings the onset of the loss might be a little more sudden....

Because it doesn't sound like his hearing loss is responding to therapy (mind you, I'm going by his statement and have no access to his medical records), it could also be a genetic hearing loss. Cochlear implant surgery is extremely successful but we generally hold off until we are quite convinced that we can't preserve whatever residual hearing a patient still has. People with cochlear implants are quite capable of holding a conversation over the phone, so there's still hope for "Open Line Friday"

[painter]

Have you thought about calling Rush? I know Rush is seeing the best doctors in the world,but you could help the rest of his listners know what is going on.