Audiological investigation of chronic alcoholics

Pure tone audiometry performed on 67 alcoholics showed a sensorineural hearing loss in 70% of the ears examined. The prevalence of the hearing loss was related to the duration of heavy drinking. Twenty-two subjects with hearing loss were evaluated using impedance audiometry, SISI test, tone decay test and fixed frequency Békésy recording. The results of these tests are suggestive of a retrocochlear lesion in chronic alcoholics.