Emerson, L: Hearing loss in minor head injury

Hearing loss is a common complaint encountered in ENT practice. Mild traumatic brain injury is one of the most common neurological disorders with only migraine and herpes zoster having higher incidences and only migraine having higher prevalence. In all accidents Minor head injuries ( Peden marge&Scurfeild et al, 2004)are the most common. Hearing loss following head trauma or head injury is a major medical problem in adults ( Bergemalm P-O&Borg.E 2001),as well as children ( Hough JVD &Stuart WD,1985) which may go unnoticed when the hearing loss does not affect speech frequencies. Due to trauma sustained hearing impairment may persist or progress. Hearing impairment can be due to central or peripheral causes, middle ear or cochlea being the most common site of peripheral injury. Evaluation of hearing loss by Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) and Tympanometry is a standard protocol in all cases of Trauma. Evaluation of outer hair cell function can be done with evoked Oto-acoustic emission measurements. Evoked OAEs can be detected in essentially all ears with normal hearing and are reduced or absent in ears affected by Hearing loss.