A Clinical Analysis of Psychogenic Hearing Loss Presenting as Sudden Deafness

Ban, Jae Ho; Hong, Seok Jin; Lee, Sei Young; Lee, Kyung Chul; Kim, Chang Gyu

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Sudden deafness results from, in most cases, lack an apparent cause. However viral infection, vascular occlusion, cochlear membrane rupture, and others are known to be associated with this disease. In this study, we observed incidence, etiology, audiologic, psychiatric, and clinical aspect of psychogenic sudden deafness through retrospective chart review and analysis of patients who are thought to have had sudden deafness from psychogenic causes and stressor. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We reviewed the records of 277 patients who had been admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Kangbuk Samsung hospital, from January 1997 to July 2003, under the initial diagnosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss. RESULTS: In patients' medical history, there were 9 patients who had association between sudden onset of hearing loss and psychogenic causes and stressor. And there were 4 patients who had preexisting psycho-pathologic condition. Among these patients, a joint study with psychiatrist classified 7 psychogenic sudden deafness patients (2.5%) who has been ruled out organic causes and showed discrepancy between pure tone audiometry and ABR. In distribution ratio, there were 2 males and 5 females, 4 patients were in their 10's, 1 in 20's, and 2 in 40's (24 years old in average), 3 bilaterals, and 4 unilaterals. In hearing test, there were 4 patients with severe to profound hearing loss at 71 dB or higher, 2 patients with moderately severe hearing loss ranged from 56 to 70 dB, and 1 patient with moderate hearing loss from 41 to 56 dB. Hearing ability of all these patients were partially or completely recovered by treatment including steroid injection and joint psychotherapy with psychiatrist. CONCLUSION: About 2.5% of sudden deafness patients were psychogenic sudden deafness patients, and the results showed distinctive features for each of audiologic, psychiatric, and clinical characteristics. The recovery rate and prognosis were better in patients who had cure and diagnosis under consult with department of psychiatry and accurate audiometry.