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Caloric stimulation - Risks

Alternative Names

Caloric test; Cold water calorics; Warm water calorics

What the risks are:

Too much water pressure can injure an already damaged eardrum, but this rarely occurs since the amount of water to be used is measured.

Caloric stimulation should not be done if the eardrum is torn (perforated), because it can cause an ear infection. It also should not be performed during an episode of vertigo because it can make symptoms worse.

Special considerations:

Caloric stimulation is about 80% accurate at diagnosing nerve damage as a cause of vertigo. Other tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

  • Reviewed last on: 2/5/2011
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Baloh RW. Hearing and equilibrium. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 454.

Kerber KA, Baloh RW. Dizziness, vertigo, and hearing loss. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann Elsevier; 2008:chap 18.

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