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Acoustic trauma - Symptom

Alternative Names

Injury - inner ear; Trauma - inner ear; Ear injury

Symptoms:

Hearing loss
- Usually partial and involving high-pitched sounds
- May slowly get worse
Noises, ringing in the ear (tinnitus)

Signs and tests:

The health care provider will usually suspect acoustic trauma if hearing loss occurs after noise exposure. Audiometry may determine how much hearing has been lost.

Sound wave transmission

Reviewed last on: 10/10/2008
Alan Lipkin, MD, Otolaryngologist, Private Practice, Denver, Colorado. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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