Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2007 Jun;50(6):496-500.

Clinical Analysis of Hearing Loss after Mild Head Trauma

• Lee DH
• Song CE
• Jung SH
• Jun BC
• Park SW
• Sung YH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the clinical characteristics of hearing impairment in patients who suffered a blunt head trauma without any organic problems, including temporal bone fracture or intracranial hemorrhage.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
This retrospective study examined 42 patients presenting with hearing impairment after blunt head trauma within five recent years. This study included only patients without temporal bone fracture or intracranial hemorrhage.
RESULTS
Most patients (90.5%) complained of associated auditory symptoms including tinnitus, dizziness, earfullness and otalgia as well as headache. In 38 patients (90.5%), the symptom was developed on the injured day. Fifteen ears of 13 patients showed sensorineural hearing loss, 2 ears of 2 patients conductive hearing loss, and 10 ears of 8 patients mixed hearing loss. Twenty-four ears of 22 patients showed sensorineural hearing loss only above 4 kHz, 8 ears of 7 patients mild hearing loss, 10 ears of 8 patients moderate hearing loss, 3 ears of 3 patients had a moderately-severe hearing loss, and 6 ears of 6 patients had a profound hearing loss. All cases (24 ears of 22 patients) who had a normal four-tone average complained many otologic symptoms other than a hearing loss.
CONCLUSION
Blunt head injury is one of the most common causes of the neurologic disorders. It is important to perform thorough assessment of auditory symptoms as soon as possible. Otologic consultation should be sought in all cases for appropriate management.

Keyword

Head injury closed; Hearing loss; Post-concussion syndrome

MeSH Terms

Craniocerebral Trauma*
Dizziness
Ear
Earache
Head Injuries, Closed
Head*
Headache
Hearing Loss*
Hearing Loss, Conductive
Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural
Hearing*
Humans
Intracranial Hemorrhages
Nervous System Diseases
Post-Concussion Syndrome
Retrospective Studies
Temporal Bone
Tinnitus