Ferrari Robert
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Aust Fam Physician. 2006 May;35(5):367-8.
Excess cerumen (earwax) in the external auditory canal is associated with symptoms of earache, fullness in the ears, and diminished hearing. These symptoms, and tinnitus, are commonly associated with whiplash injury.
Eighty-six whiplash patients were examined to determine if there was a correlation between symptoms of earache, fullness in the ear, diminished hearing, and tinnitus, and the degree of cerumen occlusion. Cerumen occlusion was measured by visualisation of the tympanic membrane and graded according to a 4 point scale.
Of 71 subjects reporting no acute onset (within 7 days of the collision that caused their whiplash) earache, fullness in the ears, hearing loss, or tinnitus, 62 had little or no cerenum occlusion. Of seven subjects reporting tinnitus but no other auditory symptoms, none had greater than moderate cerenum occlusion. Of eight subjects reporting one or more of acute onset earache, fullness in the ears, diminished hearing, and tinnitus, seven had complete cerenum occlusion in the affected ear.
The findings suggest high grade cerumen occlusion frequently occurs in the ear affected by acute auditory symptoms. However, tinnitus alone has no apparent association with cerumen occlusion. It is possible that a significant number of acute onset auditory symptoms reported in whiplash patients have a benign cause.
外耳道内耵聍（耳垢）过多与耳痛、耳闷和听力减退等症状相关。这些症状以及耳鸣通常与挥鞭样损伤有关。
对86例挥鞭样损伤患者进行检查，以确定耳痛、耳闷、听力减退和耳鸣症状与耵聍堵塞程度之间是否存在相关性。通过观察鼓膜来测量耵聍堵塞情况，并根据4分制进行分级。
在71例报告无急性发作（在导致其挥鞭样损伤的碰撞后7天内）耳痛、耳闷、听力损失或耳鸣的受试者中，62例耵聍堵塞很少或没有堵塞。在7例报告有耳鸣但无其他听觉症状的受试者中，没有一例耵聍堵塞超过中度。在8例报告有急性发作的耳痛、耳闷、听力减退和耳鸣中的一种或多种症状的受试者中，7例患侧耳朵有完全的耵聍堵塞。
研究结果表明，高度耵聍堵塞在受急性听觉症状影响的耳朵中经常出现。然而，单独耳鸣与耵聍堵塞没有明显关联。有可能大量挥鞭样损伤患者报告的急性发作听觉症状有良性病因。
