Patient: Now the labs are in the hospital and the doctor won’t let me take them out, what should I do? I’ve had blood tests, ECG, chest X-ray, blood pressure, all of which are normal. The doctor suspected that it was sudden deafness. Yin Shankai, Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital: Sudden deafness usually occurs within minutes, hours or a day (usually around 12 hours), when the patient’s hearing drops to its lowest point. It usually occurs in one ear, but rarely in both ears, and even more rarely at the same time. It may be accompanied by tinnitus. The onset of the disease may be preceded by a history of fatigue, high levels of stress, etc. The diagnosis of sudden deafness requires careful collection of the patient’s medical history and onset, a thorough otology, neuro-otology, audiology, vestibular function, imaging and laboratory examination, exclusion of other organic diseases that may cause hearing loss, and a combination of clinical treatment efficacy. The results of hearing tests, serum viral antibody assay, CT, MRI and other examinations can be asked to the bedside doctor.