Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Neurology (Expert Forum)
stroke related to absent acoustic reflex?
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury.
stroke related to absent acoustic reflex?
by Pam, Nov 15, 1999 12:00AM
I'm a 34 yo female who had a minor stroke almost two years ago that affected my RIGHT side (and caused temporarily slurred speech). Still no known cause. I've had essentially complete recovery from the stroke (just a little right-sided weakness when I'm tired).
Within the last year or so, I noticed that I have a difficult time hearing men's voices in the presence of background noise, such as at restaurants, at conferences, and in a car with an open window. The problem is not really that bad, but several friends told me that I should get my hearing tested, so I had a hearing test last week. I did not tell the audiologist about my stroke (although the doctor that referred me to audiology knows about it).
The portion of that test that uses earphones (where I report hearing tones) was completely normal. However, when the audiologist tested me on the tympanometer (spelling??)--the instrument where she equalizes airpressure in the inner and outer ear -- the results were not normal. It seems that I have no acoustic reflex (stapedius reflex?) in my LEFT ear. She has referred me for an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test, which is scheduled for next week. Based on some internet research that I've done, it appears that this lack of reflex MAY be responsible for my problem distinguishing male voices from background noise. (Question 1) Is this correct?
(Question 2)Could something related to my stroke -- but unrelated to the aucoustic reflex -- be causing me to have problems distinguishing male voices in the presence of background noise? (Question 3) Could something related to my stroke be causing this problem with the LEFT acoustic reflex? If so, will the ABR catch this? (Question 4)Finally, do I need to tell the audiologist about my stroke?
Thank you for your help...I really appreciate the valuable service that you provide.
Within the last year or so, I noticed that I have a difficult time hearing men's voices in the presence of background noise, such as at restaurants, at conferences, and in a car with an open window. The problem is not really that bad, but several friends told me that I should get my hearing tested, so I had a hearing test last week. I did not tell the audiologist about my stroke (although the doctor that referred me to audiology knows about it).
The portion of that test that uses earphones (where I report hearing tones) was completely normal. However, when the audiologist tested me on the tympanometer (spelling??)--the instrument where she equalizes airpressure in the inner and outer ear -- the results were not normal. It seems that I have no acoustic reflex (stapedius reflex?) in my LEFT ear. She has referred me for an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test, which is scheduled for next week. Based on some internet research that I've done, it appears that this lack of reflex MAY be responsible for my problem distinguishing male voices from background noise. (Question 1) Is this correct?
(Question 2)Could something related to my stroke -- but unrelated to the aucoustic reflex -- be causing me to have problems distinguishing male voices in the presence of background noise? (Question 3) Could something related to my stroke be causing this problem with the LEFT acoustic reflex? If so, will the ABR catch this? (Question 4)Finally, do I need to tell the audiologist about my stroke?
Thank you for your help...I really appreciate the valuable service that you provide.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF neuro MD MM, Nov 15, 1999 12:00AM
I doubt if the acoustic reflex alnne is directly responsible for your problem with distinguishing male voices in the presence of ambient noise.
Similarly I doubt if your stroke is releated either since this is a very specific pattern of hearing loss which has not been described as a symptom of stroke. It is also unlikely that the stroke is responsible for the left acoustic reflex problem.
The BAER is unlikely to pick up any of the problems you mention since it requires a relatively lesion in the brainstem with associated clinical signs to cause abnormailty in the test.
It is not well suited to distinguishing subtle problems like the one you describe.
You should definitely tell the audiloogist about the stroke, it is part of your medical history and he may be able to pull the varoius pieces of the picture together. I think it is likely however that these are separate issues and a unifing diagnosis is unlikely to be uncovered.
Similarly I doubt if your stroke is releated either since this is a very specific pattern of hearing loss which has not been described as a symptom of stroke. It is also unlikely that the stroke is responsible for the left acoustic reflex problem.
The BAER is unlikely to pick up any of the problems you mention since it requires a relatively lesion in the brainstem with associated clinical signs to cause abnormailty in the test.
It is not well suited to distinguishing subtle problems like the one you describe.
You should definitely tell the audiloogist about the stroke, it is part of your medical history and he may be able to pull the varoius pieces of the picture together. I think it is likely however that these are separate issues and a unifing diagnosis is unlikely to be uncovered.
