Hearing loss in chronic alcoholics.

Alcohol has a local and general influence. A specially harmful effect is observed when it is abused--used frequently and in high concentrations. Chronic excessive drinking of alcohol results in sight deterioration, hearing loss and psychical disorders. The study aimed at evaluating the degree and place of the hearing organ damage in 30 alcoholics. They were subjected to audiologic examinations including: pure-tone and impedance audiometry, otoacoustic emissions and evoked brain stem responses tests. The patients were diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss, lack of otoemission indicating the damage of outer hear cells as well as hearing pathway damage in the brain stem.