Modulation of somatosensory abilities and the feeling of ear fullness in patients with acute sensorineural hearing loss

Association of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with meteorological factors: a time series study in Hefei, China, and a literature review

Air pollution can cause disease and has become a major global environmental problem. It is currently believed that air pollution may be related to the progression of SSNHL. As a rapidly developing city in recent years, Hefei has serious air pollution. In order to explore the correlation between meteorological variables and SSNHL admissions, we conducted this study. This study investigated the short-term associations between SSNHL patients admitted to the hospital and Hefei climatic variables. The daily data on SSNHL-related hospital admissions and meteorological variables containing mean temperature (T-mean; °C), diurnal temperature range (DTR; °C), atmospheric pressure (AP; Hp), and relative humidity (RH; %), from 2014 to 2021 (2558 days), were collected. A time-series analysis integrating distributed lag non-linear models and generalized linear models was used. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched. Literature published up to August 2023 was reviewed to explore the potential impact mechanisms of meteorological factors on SSNHL. The mechanisms were determined in detail, focusing on wind speed, air pressure, temperature, humidity, and air pollutants. Using a median of 50.00% as a baseline, the effect of exceedingly low T-mean in the single-day hysteresis effect model began at a lag of 8 days (RR = 1.032, 95% CI: 1.001 ~ 1.064). High DTR affected the admission rate for SSNHL on lag 0 day. The significance of the effect was the greatest on that day (RR = 1.054, 95% CI: 1.007 ~ 1.104) and then gradually decreased. High and exceedingly high RH affected the admission rate SSNHL on lag 0 day, and these effects lasted for 8 and 7 days, respectively. There were significant associations between all grades of AP and SSNHL. This is the first study to assess the effect of meteorological variables on SSNHL-related admissions in China using a time-series approach. Long-term exposures to high DTR, RH values, low T-mean values, and all AP grades enhance the incidence of SSNHL in residents. Limiting exposure to extremes of ambient temperature and humidity may reduce the number of SSNHL-related hospital visits in the region. It is advisable to maintain a suitable living environment temperature and avoid extreme temperature fluctuations and high humidity. During periods of high air pollution, it is recommended to stay indoors and refrain from outdoor exercise.

Clinical Factors Associated With Prognosis of Tinnitus and Aural Fullness After Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the long-term prognosis and risk factors associated with tinnitus and aural fullness, which occurred with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional review.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Those who visited our clinic for sudden hearing loss from January 2016 to May 2020, diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss based on pure-tone audiometry, and underwent magnetic resonance imaging to rule out other cause of hearing loss. In total, 106 patients were enrolled in this study.

INTERVENTION

All patients were treated with oral glucocorticoids. Salvage intratympanic dexamethasone injection therapy was performed for the patients whose hearing was not fully recovered.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES

We scored the loudness of tinnitus and the intensity of aural fullness using the numerical rating scale. We used a mixed-effects model for repeatedly measured tinnitus and aural fullness scores.

RESULTS

The time after the onset of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL; β = -0.07; 95% confidence interval, -0.09 to -0.05; p < 0.001) and hearing outcome after treatment (overall p = 0.003) were significant factors associated with the prognosis of tinnitus. Concerning aural fullness, the time after the onset of SSNHL was a significant prognosis factor (β = -0.08; 95% confidence interval, -0.09 to -0.06; p < 0.001), unlike hearing outcome (overall p = 0.261). Pretreatment pure-tone audiometry average threshold and mainly affected frequencies were not significant factors for tinnitus and aural fullness recovery, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The persistence of tinnitus with SSNHL was significantly affected by hearing recovery after treatment, whereas aural fullness was not associated with hearing recovery. However, both symptoms were improved over time after SSNHL.

Migraine Features in Patients With Isolated Aural Fullness and Proposal for a New Diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the presence of migraine features between patients with isolated aural fullness (AF) who meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those who do not, and to propose diagnostic criteria for migraine-related AF based on our results.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of patients presenting to a tertiary-care neurotology clinic between 2014 and 2020 with migraine-related AF. This was defined as isolated, prolonged aural fullness concurrent with migraine features once other etiologies were ruled out via examination, audiometry, and imaging. Migraine features were compared between patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those not meeting the criteria.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven patients with migraine-related AF were included. The mean age was 56 ± 15 years and 55 (71%) patients were female. Eleven (14%) patients fulfilled the criteria for migraine headache (migraine group). Of the 66 patients who did not meet the criteria (nonmigraine group), 17 (26%) met 4/5 criteria, and 32 (48%) met 3/5 criteria, for a total of 49 (74%) patients. The migraine and nonmigraine groups were only different in 5 of 20 features, including family history of migraine (p = 0.007), sound sensitivity (p < 0.001), mental fogginess (p = 0.008), visual motion sensitivity (p = 0.008), and light sensitivity (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

There are minimal differences in the overall prevalence of migraine features between patients with migraine-related AF who meet and do not meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine. Our findings suggest that the criteria may be too stringent and exclude many patients from potentially benefitting from treatment with migraine prophylaxis.

Ear fullness characteristics and prognosis in patients with all-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the characteristics and prognosis of the feeling of ear fullness in patients with unilateral all-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

METHODS

Our study included 56 patients with a diagnosis of unilateral all-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by a feeling of ear fullness and 48 patients without a feeling of ear fullness. The condition of these patients was prospectively observed.

RESULTS

Positive correlations were observed between grading of feeling of ear fullness and hearing loss in patients with a feeling of ear fullness (r = 0.599, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the total effective rate of hearing recovery between patients with and without a feeling of ear fullness after one month of treatment (Z = -0.641, p = 0.521). Eighty-six per cent of patients (48 out of 56) showed complete recovery from the feeling of ear fullness. There was no correlation between feeling of ear fullness recovery and hearing recovery (r = 0.040, p = 0.769).

CONCLUSION

The prognosis of feeling of ear fullness is good. There was no correlation between feeling of ear fullness recovery and hearing recovery for all-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients.

Utility of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Acute Acoustic Trauma: 20 years' Experience at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Undersea Medical Center

Introduction  Acute acoustic trauma, which is a kind of sensorineural hearing loss, is caused by acoustic overstimulation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is reported to be effective against acute acoustic trauma.

Objective  We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of HBOT against acoustic hearing loss based on our 20 years of experience with such cases.

Methods  Patients who were treated with HBOT for acute acoustic trauma between April 1997 and August 2017 were evaluated in this study. Thirty-five patients with a mean age of 25.7 ± 9.2 (range: 16–48) years were included. Thirty-nine out of 70 ears (35 patients) were damaged. We investigated the initial level of hearing loss; the extent to which hearing recovered; subjective symptoms, such as tinnitus and aural fullness; and the treatment administered.

Results  The planned HBOT was completed in 37 of 39 ears. Twenty-six of the 37 ears (70.2%) displayed improved hearing, and 31 of the 37 ears (83.9%) exhibited symptom improvement. Twenty-three (76.7%) and 26 (86.7%) of the 30 ears treated with steroids demonstrated improvements in hearing and subjective symptoms, respectively.

Conclusion  A combination of HBOT and steroids should be considered as a treatment for acute acoustic trauma in cases involving symptoms such as tinnitus and aural fullness.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorders as a Cause of Aural Fullness

OBJECTIVES

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are often associated with aural manifestations. However, it is not clear whether aural fullness could be induced by TMD. The purpose was to investigate the TMD and effectiveness of TMD treatments in patients with mainly or exclusively aural fullness complaint.

METHODS

One hundred and twelve patients, who had aural fullness as the main or sole complaint, presented to the Otolaryngology Department, PLA Army General Hospital, Beijing, China, between January 2010 and January 2015. Patients' medical history indicated that they had previously been diagnosed and treated for otitis media or sensorineural hearing loss but without positive results. Patients were subjected to pure tone audiometry and acoustic immittance screening using GSI-61 clinical audiometer and GSI TympStar middle ear analyzer respectively. Patients were examined by questionnaire, X-ray and/or computed tomography scan of temporomandibular joint. TMD was categorized according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). Patients were then treated for TMD.

RESULTS

All the patients showed normal eardrum and type A tympanogram. The patients of 60.7% (68/112) were classified as group I TMD disorders (muscle disorders), 34.8% (39/112) were group II (disc displacements), and 4.5% (5/112) were group III (arthralgia, osteoarthritis, and osteoarthrosis). Aural fullness was completely resolved or significantly improved in 67 and 34 patients respectively following treatments aimed at improving TMD, with a combined effectiveness of 90.2% (101/112). TMD treatments are especially effective (94.1%) in group I TMD.

CONCLUSION

TMD as a potential cause of aural fullness should be considered in otolaryngology practice.