Abstract
Fluctuating hearing loss presumed to be caused by endolymphatic hydrops without vertigo, according to Williams et al (1950), was reported. A 39-year-old woman had a fluctuating hearing loss in her right ear and sever perceptive hearing loss in her left ear. The right ear showed recurrent perceptive hearing loss of 50-60dB in low frequencies with almost complete recovery in each occasion. The onset of the hearing loss was gradual, accompanied with tinnitus, fullness in the ear and sometimes slight dizziness. All three symptoms, however, did not always occur in each attack. There was no complain of true turning vertigo. Four attacks were occurred with remissions of one to two months. Treatment with steroid was effective to each attack, but because of appearance of its side effect, treatment was switched to stellate ganglion block and hyperbaric oxygen and these prevented further attacks. The literature was reviewed in brief and the possible mechanisms to explain the fluctuation on hearing were discussed.
