Hearing loss after direct blunt neck trauma.

OBJECTIVE

To report for the first time hearing impairment resulting from blunt neck trauma.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review of clinical, pure tone, and speech audiometric findings. The first obtained within 3 months and the follow-up ones between 6 and 12 months after injury. Three representative examples are given.

PATIENTS

Eighty-three patients (166 ears) who reported hearing impairment after blunt neck trauma.

RESULTS

Twenty of the 166 ears (12%) had normal hearing and 137 ears (81.3%) showed an acoustic trauma-like hearing impairment. Eight ears (4.8%) had a hearing loss of at least 30 dB in the speech frequencies (500-2,000 Hz) and two ears (1.2%) had additional impairment in the higher frequencies. Only one ear (0.8%) had a conductive hearing loss. No speech discrimination score was poorer than 80%. Forty-six subjects (55.4%) reported tinnitus.

CONCLUSIONS

Blunt neck trauma, like whiplash injury, may cause objectively measurable hearing impairment.