Alcoholism Affects Hearing & Balance
Balance
Alcoholism: effects on the inner ear and sense of balance
Several toxic drugs are harmful to the human being and lead to problems such as tinnitus, many types of hearing loss, and vertigo. Alcohol is among the main agents considered toxic.
Aim: To study the effects of alcoholism in the inner ear and sense of balance.
Materials and Methods: The test sample comprised 37 individuals in Alcoholics Anonymous, and 37 non-alcoholic individuals, age and gender matching. All of the individuals examined were submitted to personally recalled medical history, ear, nose and throat examination, basic hearing evaluation, and balance tests.
Results:
Alcoholic group
- 67% showed abnormalities in hearing tests and
- 24% presented abnormalities in the computerized balance tests.
Non-alcoholic Group,
- 27% showed abnormalities in hearing tests and
- 11% presented abnormalities in the computerized balance tests.
Conclusion: Alcoholism interferes on an individual’s hearing and balance, causing harmful effects on the human organism.
Marcieli Bellé, Sílvia do Amaral Sartori, Angela, Garcia Rossi. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY 73 (1) JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007.
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