Bergin M, Murray D, Bird P
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
J Laryngol Otol. 2010 Aug;124(8):922-4. doi: 10.1017/S0022215109992453. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
To report an unusual observation whereby hearing was improved by insertion of cotton wool onto a retracted tympanic membrane, and to explore potential explanations for this.
We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with a severe mixed hearing loss who was noted to have a significant improvement in her hearing using a technique shown to her many years ago by a Russian physician. Upon application of a moist piece of cotton wool, gains of up to 40 dB were observed. This was associated with a significant subjective improvement in hearing. We discuss potential mechanisms for this effect, including amplification, a baffle effect and phase differences.
The mechanism of the hearing improvement observed in this case is unknown, but is likely to be related to sound amplification from the relatively large surface area of the cotton wool to the smaller oval window.
报告一项不寻常的观察结果，即通过在回缩的鼓膜上放置棉絮可改善听力，并探讨其潜在原因。
我们报告一名56岁重度混合性听力损失女性的病例，她采用多年前一位俄罗斯医生向她展示的一种方法后听力显著改善。在放置一块湿棉絮后，观察到听力增益高达40分贝。这与听力的显著主观改善相关。我们讨论了这种效应的潜在机制，包括放大、挡板效应和相位差。
该病例中观察到的听力改善机制尚不清楚，但可能与从相对较大面积的棉絮到较小的卵圆窗的声音放大有关。
