[RushCrush]

It has never been proven that his hearing loss (NOT TOTAL) is due to any drug use. See wikipedia, search under 'Rush Limbaugh"

[ClaireSolt]

In plain English, arrest means to stop.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"It has never been proven that his hearing loss (NOT TOTAL) is due to any drug use."

First, you are splitting hairs. His pre-op hearing loss was about the same as my own: high-end profound in terms of dB loss, complicated by severe discrimination impairment. For all intents and purposes, his loss of usable hearing was total. Anything much less and he wouldn't have been a candidate for a cochlear implant. (I also have one of those. In fact, he and I have the same doctor. Trust me, his loss was as total as you'd ever want to see, and I pray you never experience it.)

Next, you are correct, the specific cause of his loss is not conclusively known. His diagnosis, autoimmune inner ear disease, is not well understood, and it is not understood what triggers it. However, the progress of his loss (bilateral, rapid onset, unresponsive to several therapies) also mimics that which can arise from opiate abuse. I also recall that public disclosure of his diagnosis came well before his legal troubles and his admission of his oxycontin abuse. That is why I used the word "may" in my post. And I stand by that "may": his AIED hearing loss may, indeed, have resulted from his opiate abuse. The chances are good that none of us--including Rush himself, and his doctors--will ever conclusively know just how high the cost was for his addiction.