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Acoustic trauma - Treatment

Alternative Names

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

Treatment:

The hearing loss may not be treatable. The goal of treatment is to protect the ear from further damage. Eardrum repair may be needed.

A hearing aid may help you communicate. You can learn coping skills, such as lip reading.

Expectations (prognosis):

Hearing loss may be permanent in the affected ear. Ear protection may prevent the hearing loss from getting worse.

Complications:

Progressive hearing loss is the main complication of acoustic trauma.

Tinnitus (ear ringing) can also occur.

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:

You have symptoms of acoustic trauma
Hearing loss occurs or gets worse

Sound wave transmission

Reviewed last on: 8/4/2010
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Lonsbury-Martin BL, Martin GK. Noise-induced hearing loss. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:chap 151.

Hearing loss

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