Vestibular involvement in acoustic trauma (An electronystagmographic study)

A. Man, S. Segal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Following A clinical impression that vestibular complaints accompany acoustic trauma and are aggravated during noise exposure, an electronystagmographic study of 326 patients suffering from acoustic trauma was carried out. The patients were divided into groups according to the severity of their acoustic trauma, and also according to the presence or absence of vestigular complaints. ENG recordings were performed with and without noise exposure. A certain amount of vestibular involvement in acoustic trauma directly related to the severity of the acoustic trauma was demonstrated. The threshold for vestibular irritation by noise also seems to be lowered in acoustic trauma. These findings may have clinical as well as medico-legal implications. From the examination and follow-up of large numbers of acoustic trauma patients, we have gained the clinical impression that many of them complain of vertigo in addition to the usual complaints associated with acoustic trauma. Some patients reported the occurrence of vertigo only during exposure to noise. Vestibular stimulation by noise has been known since it was first described by Tullio (1929) in pigeons. In humans—soldiers and jet engine employees—the connection between exposure to noise and vestibular disturbances has been described by Dickson and Chadwick (1961) and by Collins (1958). In the literature available to us, we have not found any electronystagmographic confirmation of vestibular pathology in patients with acoustic trauma and particularly of their reaction to noise stimuli. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether there exists any electronystagmographic evidence of vestibular damage in patients with acoustic trauma and whether the threshold of vestibular stimulation by noise is lower in such cases.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1395-1400
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Laryngology and Otology
Volume94
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1980
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Otorhinolaryngology

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