Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report

We describe a case of a 67-year-old woman with severe disabling right-sided tinnitus, mild hyperacusis, and headache. The tinnitus was associated with sudden right hearing loss and vertigo, which occurred about 18 months before. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) resulted in normal anatomical structur...

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Main Authors: Alessandra Fioretti, Giorgia Peri, Alberto Eibenstein
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Otolaryngology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/210707
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author Alessandra Fioretti
Giorgia Peri
Alberto Eibenstein
author_facet Alessandra Fioretti
Giorgia Peri
Alberto Eibenstein
author_sort Alessandra Fioretti
collection DOAJ
description We describe a case of a 67-year-old woman with severe disabling right-sided tinnitus, mild hyperacusis, and headache. The tinnitus was associated with sudden right hearing loss and vertigo, which occurred about 18 months before. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) resulted in normal anatomical structures of the cochlea and of the cranial nerves showing a partial empty sella syndrome with suprasellar cistern hernia. Angio-MR revealed a bilateral contact between the anterior-inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and the acoustic-facial nerve with a potential neurovascular conflict. Surgery was considered unnecessary after further evaluations. The right ear was successfully treated with a combination device (hearing aid plus sound generator). Shortly after a standard fitting procedure, the patient reported a reduction of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and headache which completely disappeared at the follow-up evaluation after 3, 6, and 12 months. This paper demonstrates that the combination device resulted in a complete tinnitus and hyperacusis suppression in a patient with unilateral sensorineural sudden hearing loss. Our paper further supports the restoration of peripheral sensory input for the treatment of tinnitus associated with hearing loss in selected patients.
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spelling doaj-art-a796c079484f43618ca3eac95fc6c98d2025-08-20T03:39:31ZengWileyCase Reports in Otolaryngology2090-67652090-67732012-01-01201210.1155/2012/210707210707Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case ReportAlessandra Fioretti0Giorgia Peri1Alberto Eibenstein2Tinnitus Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, European Hospital, Via Portuense 700, 00149 Rome, ItalyAudin Clinic, Hearing Aid Center, Via Veneto 7, 00187 Rome, ItalyTinnitus Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, European Hospital, Via Portuense 700, 00149 Rome, ItalyWe describe a case of a 67-year-old woman with severe disabling right-sided tinnitus, mild hyperacusis, and headache. The tinnitus was associated with sudden right hearing loss and vertigo, which occurred about 18 months before. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) resulted in normal anatomical structures of the cochlea and of the cranial nerves showing a partial empty sella syndrome with suprasellar cistern hernia. Angio-MR revealed a bilateral contact between the anterior-inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and the acoustic-facial nerve with a potential neurovascular conflict. Surgery was considered unnecessary after further evaluations. The right ear was successfully treated with a combination device (hearing aid plus sound generator). Shortly after a standard fitting procedure, the patient reported a reduction of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and headache which completely disappeared at the follow-up evaluation after 3, 6, and 12 months. This paper demonstrates that the combination device resulted in a complete tinnitus and hyperacusis suppression in a patient with unilateral sensorineural sudden hearing loss. Our paper further supports the restoration of peripheral sensory input for the treatment of tinnitus associated with hearing loss in selected patients.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/210707
spellingShingle Alessandra Fioretti
Giorgia Peri
Alberto Eibenstein
Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
Case Reports in Otolaryngology
title Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
title_full Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
title_fullStr Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
title_full_unstemmed Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
title_short Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
title_sort suppression of tinnitus in a patient with unilateral sudden hearing loss a case report
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/210707
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AT albertoeibenstein suppressionoftinnitusinapatientwithunilateralsuddenhearinglossacasereport