[Botulinum toxin reduces sweat-related problems for hearing aid users - a clinical study]

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Dermatology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Excessive head sweating (hyperhidrosis) can lead to skin irritation, increased energy consumption, and functional impairment of hearing devices.
• Hearing aid and semi-implantable hearing system users are particularly susceptible to these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the frequency of sweat-related complaints in hearing aid and implant users.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of intracutaneous Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injections for treating local hyperhidrosis in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A single-center observational study involving 51 users of various hearing devices (cochlear implants, middle ear implants, bone conduction devices, conventional hearing aids).
• Participants completed a questionnaire on sweat production and device-related problems.
• Patients with severe hyperhidrosis (n=6) received intracutaneous BoNT-A treatment.

Main Results:

• 43% of patients reported frequent head sweating, and 33% reported occasional sweating.
• Skin problems affected 69% of patients; 31% experienced increased energy consumption or impaired device function/comfort.
• All patients treated with BoNT-A showed marked symptom improvement without further device impairment.

Conclusions:

• Sweat-related problems are common among hearing device users, causing skin irritation and technical malfunctions.
• Intracutaneous BoNT-A injections offer an effective, safe, and practical treatment for reducing hyperhidrosis complaints in this population.