Three rare cases of sudden high frequency sensorineural hearing loss with longitudinal fracture of the stapes footplate are presented. In two patients it occurred after they suppressed a sneeze. In the third patient after the exertion of parturition. At exploratory tympanotomy all were found to have longitudinal fractures of the stapes footplate and two had a perilymph fistula at that site. The history and audiometric profiles in such patients should raise a high index of suspicion regarding the possibility of a stapes footplate fracture.