Pathophysiological Aspects of “Sudden Deafness” with Special Reference to Vestibular Disorder

Abstract

The vestibular disorder observed in cases of sudden deafness may be induced mostly by peripheral causes. About forty percents of 127 patients had complaints of vertigo with nystagmus. In some cases, spontaneous or provocation nystagmus was observed in spite of the absence of vertigo. As a rule, nystagmus was toward the affected side within about three days of the onset of hearing impairment. This thought to be the irritative stage. After this period, the direction of nystagmus changed to the opposite side. This paralytic nystagmus would be compensated by a central mechanism in two months at the latest.