Sensation of aural fullness and its treatment with an autonomic nerve blocking agent

One hundred and eighteen patients (143 ears) complaining of a full sensation in the ear without any evidence of other ear diseases were selected for treatment with an autonomic nerve blocking agent and were analysed clinically. Females were extremely predominant in number, 79% of the cases. Sixty-five of 143 ears (45.4%) showed normal hearing and 54 ears (37.8%) had sensorineural hearing loss in low tone. Four mg of butropium bromide, Coliopan, an anti-cholinergic routinely used as an antispastic agent, was injected intravenously. Subsequently, the aural fullness diminished or disappeared in 72.7% (104/143) and 33.5% (48/143) was dramatically relieved within 30 min after the injection. Sensorineural hearing loss in low tone which was recognized in 57 ears in this series also improved remarkably in 57.9% (33/57). These results suggest a close relationship between the autonomic nervous system, aural fullness and sensorineural hearing loss in low tone. According to this study, we recommend anti-cholinergics as the treatment for patients, especially for women, complaining chiefly of aural fullness but with normal otoscopic findings and normal tympanogram, and with or without sensorineural hearing loss in low tone.