Auditory dysfunction in traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Effective communication is essential for successful rehabilitation, especially in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The authors examined the prevalence and characteristics of auditory dysfunction in patients with TBI who were admitted to a Department of Veterans Affairs TBI inpatient unit before and after the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In order to delineate the characteristics of the auditory manifestations of patients who had sustained blast-related (BR) TBI, we reviewed the medical records of 252 patients with TBI and categorized them according to admission date, either before (Group I, n = 102) or after (Group II, n = 150) the onset of OIF. We subdivided Group II into non-blast-related (NBR) and BR TBI; no subjects in Group I had BR TBI. We found that admissions for TBI have increased 47% since the onset of OIF. In Group I, 28% of patients with TBI complained of hearing loss and 11% reported tinnitus. In Group II-NBR (n = 108), 44% complained of hearing loss and 18% reported tinnitus. In Group II-BR (n = 42), 62% complained of hearing loss and 38% reported tinnitus. Sensorineural loss was the most prevalent type of hearing loss in Group II-BR patients. In light of the high prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in this growing population of returning soldiers, we need to develop and implement strategies for diagnosis and management of these conditions.

Pilot study to develop telehealth tinnitus management for persons with and without traumatic brain injury

“…For example, in a subset of blast-injured patients seen at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (2003)(2004)(2005), 49 percent reported tinnitus [10]. Also, 38 percent of inpatients with blast injury at the Palo Alto Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center complained of tinnitus [11]. Tinnitus can occur not only as a symptom of TBI and side effect of medications commonly used to treat cognitive, emotional, and pain problems associated with TBI, but can also be a direct consequence of the event causing TBI, as in the case of blasts.…”

“…Almost two-thirds (63.9%) of the participants scored abnormally high (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) on the anxiety portion of the HADS. Those with TBI were more likely to have abnormal anxiety scores than those without TBI (noTBI: 41.7%, mTBI: 73.3%, m-sTBI: 77.8%).…”

Multisensory impairment reported by veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury history

“…In one study, damage to the ears was the most common single injury type, accounting for approximately 1 in 4 injuries [24]. Hearing impairment associated with combat injury can result in peripheral or central dysfunction [25][26][27][28][29].…”

Preliminary studies on differential expression of auditory functional genes in the brain after repeated blast exposures

“…Battlefield blast exposure is reported to cause auditory impairment in a large population of military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan [1][2]. Auditory/vestibular injuries from blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause increased incidence of tinnitus and hearing loss, which worsens over time if not treated [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Auditory/vestibular injuries from blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause increased incidence of tinnitus and hearing loss, which worsens over time if not treated [1][2][3][4]. Shock waves generated from explosive blasts are reported to be destructive to both gas-and fluid-filled structures of the body, including the lungs, intestines, brain, eyes, nose, and middle ear [5][6][7][8][9].…”