Mutations in the gene encoding Connexin 26 are the most common cause of genetic hearing loss. The hearing loss is typically stable but may be progressive. The reason for progression is unknown. Antioxidants have been associated with attenuation of hearing loss from other insults. One antioxidant regimen consists of beta-carotene (metabolized to vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, and magnesium (ACEMg). We present a child with Connexin 26 related hearing loss who experienced progressive hearing loss over 7 years of observation. He was given ACEMg daily for 3 years, during which time his progressive hearing loss was ameliorated.

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on the treatment of refractory sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), treatment of which remains a major clinical challenge.

DESIGN:The study design was descriptive research to document the effect of acupuncture in a series of SSHL cases.

SETTING:The study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of Kyung Hee University Hospital.

SUBJECTS:The subjects analyzed were 17 patients with refractory SSHL of more than 3 weeks after a failed trial of conventional treatment including corticosteroids.

INTERVENTIONS:Acupuncture sessions were performed twice a week using a modified Saam acupuncture formula and such acupoints as GV14, GV15, and others, in addition to usual patient care educations. Main outcome measures: Improvement was defined as increased hearing threshold from initial measurement by more than 20 dB in at least two contiguous frequencies of audiometric testing. An audiogram pattern was also analyzed.

RESULTS:The average refractory period before acupuncture treatment was 213.9 days (range 22-1460). First follow-up measurement after 9.5 times of acupuncture treatment for 29.9 days showed improvement in 4 of 16 cases examined (25.0%) and second follow-up measurement after 18.7 times of acupuncture treatment for 70.4 days in another 4 of 12 cases examined (33.3%). A total improvement rate after day 70.4 post initial visit was 47.1% (8 of 17 cases). As to the audiogram pattern, an ascending or midhumping pattern was related to a good prognosis, while a descending pattern was not.

CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest that acupuncture might be effective in refractory sensorineural hearing loss with failure of conventional therapy.

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on the treatment of refractory sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), treatment of which remains a major clinical challenge.

DESIGN:The study design was descriptive research to document the effect of acupuncture in a series of SSHL cases.

SETTING:The study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of Kyung Hee University Hospital.

SUBJECTS:The subjects analyzed were 17 patients with refractory SSHL of more than 3 weeks after a failed trial of conventional treatment including corticosteroids.

INTERVENTIONS:Acupuncture sessions were performed twice a week using a modified Saam acupuncture formula and such acupoints as GV14, GV15, and others, in addition to usual patient care educations. Main outcome measures: Improvement was defined as increased hearing threshold from initial measurement by more than 20 dB in at least two contiguous frequencies of audiometric testing. An audiogram pattern was also analyzed.

RESULTS:The average refractory period before acupuncture treatment was 213.9 days (range 22-1460). First follow-up measurement after 9.5 times of acupuncture treatment for 29.9 days showed improvement in 4 of 16 cases examined (25.0%) and second follow-up measurement after 18.7 times of acupuncture treatment for 70.4 days in another 4 of 12 cases examined (33.3%). A total improvement rate after day 70.4 post initial visit was 47.1% (8 of 17 cases). As to the audiogram pattern, an ascending or midhumping pattern was related to a good prognosis, while a descending pattern was not.

CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest that acupuncture might be effective in refractory sensorineural hearing loss with failure of conventional therapy.

The main basic effect of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO2) on the human body, in our study, was an increased partial pressure of oxygen resulting from an increased amount of oxygen dissolved in plasma. Thus the plasma can become capable of carrying enough oxygen to meet the needs of the body's tissues. From 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2007, a total of 61 patients (62 ears) received medical treatment at the ENT clinic of the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and at the Central Military Hospital in Prague. Treatment consisted of a combination of vasodilatation infusion treatment and HBO2 therapy. The results were evaluated in a retrospective study. The overall percentage of patients showing improvement was 59.7%. However, for those patients who started HBO2 treatment within 10 days of onset, complete recovery, or significant improvement was noted in 65.9%. In contrast, patients who started treatment after 10 days of onset, improvement was noted in only 38.9%. NMR examination revealed that two patients had vestibular schwannoma (also known as acoustic neuroma).

BACKGROUND:The first chiropractic adjustment given in 1895 was reported to have cured deafness. This study examined the effects of a single, initial chiropractic visit on the central nervous system by documenting clinical changes of audiometry in patients after chiropractic care.

CASE PRESENTATION:Fifteen patients are presented (9 male, 6 female) with a mean age of 54.3 (range 34-71). A Welch Allyn AudioScope 3 was used to screen frequencies of 1000, 2000, 4000 and 500 Hz respectively at three standard decibel levels 20 decibels (dB), 25 dB and 40 dB, respectively, before and immediately after the first chiropractic intervention. Several criteria were used to determine hearing impairment. Ventry&Weinstein criteria of missing one or more tones in either ear at 40 dB and Speech-frequency criteria of missing one or more tones in either ear at 25 dB. All patients were classified as hearing impaired though greater on the right. At 40 dB using the Ventry&Weinstein criteria, 6 had hearing restored, 7 improved and 2 had no change. At 25 dB using the Speech-frequency criteria, none were restored, 11 improved, 4 had no change and 3 missed a tone.

CONCLUSION:A percentage of patients presenting to the chiropractor have a mild to moderate hearing loss, most notably in the right ear. The clinical progress documented in this report suggests that manipulation delivered to the neuromusculoskeletal system may create central plastic changes in the auditory system.

BACKGROUND:Sudden hearing loss developing after immunisation is a very rare situation. Rabies is a viral disease characterised by encephalitis and death. Treatment involves active and passive immunisation. Neurologic complications including Guillain-Barre syndrome or facial paralysis are reported in the literature as a side effect after rabies immunisation.

CASE REPORT:Sudden hearing loss was detected in an 11 year-old male patient who had taken the medication for rabies immunisation.

CONCLUSION:This study presents a case report of sudden hearing loss developing after rabies immunisation - no other aetiological factors were detected and clinical management is discussed in light of the literature.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a traditional dance training program on aerobic capacity and muscle strength of adults with hearing loss. Twenty-three adults with hearing loss were separated into 2 groups. Thirteen subjects (6 men, 7 women, mean age, 25.7 +/- 3.9 years) constituted the intervention group, whereas 10 subjects (5 men, 5 women, mean age, 26.4 +/- 5.9 years) formed the control group. Pretraining and posttraining treadmill tests were performed to determine heart rate (HR peak), peak minute ventilation (VE peak), peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak, absolute and relative), and time to exhaustion (min). Peak torque of hamstring and quadriceps muscles at angular velocities of 60 degrees /s, 180 degrees /s, and 300 degrees /s was also measured. The intervention group followed a 12-week traditional dance training program, whereas the control group received no training during this period. Repeated measures of multiple analyses of variance were used to test mean differences between the values of both groups. A paired t-test was used to compare the values within each group prior and after program participation. A significance level of 0.05 was used for all tests. Following the 12-week training program, significant improvements in peak physiological parameters were seen for the intervention group for peak minute ventilation, peak oxygen consumption (both absolute and relative), time to exhaustion, and peak torque values between the 2 measurements (initial and final). No significant improvements in peak physiological parameters and peak torque were noticed in the control group. In conclusion, adults with hearing loss can improve their physical fitness levels with the application of a systematic and well-designed traditional dance training program.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The ability of drugs to reduce noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been evaluated in diverse experimental conditions (animal species, noise intensities, durations, assessment techniques, etc), making it difficult to assess their relative efficacy. The present study was designed to provide more uniform comparisons and to allow to a better understanding of the mechanism of the NIHL. Methods: The drugs studied included furosemide (loop diuretic) and the antioxidants N Acetyl-L-Cysteine, vitamins A, C, E with the vasodilator magnesium. Mice were exposed to a continuous broadband noise (113 dB SPL for 3.5 hours) and the NIHL was assessed in all animals before noise exposure and 1 week after with auditory nerve brainstem evoked responses (ABR) to broadband clicks and to 8 kHz tone bursts. RESULTS: Each of the drugs alone and in combination led to similar reductions in NIHL. CONCLUSIONS: The loop diuretic furosemide, by reducing the magnitude of the endocochlear potential in scala media, probably depressed active vibrations of the outer hair cells and basilar membrane, resulting in reduction of free radical formation during the noise exposure. The antioxidants N Acetyl-L-Cysteine and vitamins A, C, E with the vasodilator magnesium presumably counteract the free radicals. Thus, the administration of the antioxidants to animals in which free radical formation had already been reduced by previous injection of furosemide did not have an additional protective effect on the NIHL.