Sensorineural hearing loss in bullous myringitis. A prospective study of eighteen patients

Eighteen patients were seen over a period of 3 years. Twenty of their ears were diagnosed as having bullous myringitis. Pure tone audiograms and stapedial reflexes were performed within 48 h of referral. Six ears demonstrated sensorineural hearing loss, 7 ears mixed loss and 4 conductive loss. Recovery of sensorineural hearing loss complete in 8 out of 13 ears. Stapedial reflexes were elicited in 5 patients and all showed recruitment. The findings of this study confirms the fact that sensorineural hearing loss is more common in bullous myringitis than previously thought and that it is temporary in many cases. The stapedial reflex results suggest that the site of the lesion is in the cochlea.