ABC of Work Related Disorders: OCCUPATIONAL HEARING LOSS AND VIBRATION INDUCED DISORDERS

• Published in: BMJ Vol. 313; no. 7051; pp. 223 - 226
• Main Author: Jones, C M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 27.07.1996; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Disability Evaluation; Ear diseases; Hearing Disorders - diagnosis; Hearing Disorders - etiology; Hearing loss; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - diagnosis; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - etiology; Humans; Noise; Noise, Occupational - adverse effects; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - diagnosis; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - etiology; Trauma; Vibration; Vibration - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 1468-5833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.313.7051.223

Causes of deafness Sensorineural loss Congenital deafness (associated with maternal rubella or flu or prenatal medication) Familial deafness Birth trauma Childhood illnesses (such as measles (usually bilateral deafness), mumps (unilateral), encephali- tis, meningitis, cerebral abscess, typhus) Ototoxic drugs Streptomycin and some other antibiotics (such as gentamicin and neomycin) Anti-rheumatic drugs Diuretics Quinine, nicotine, alcohol, and aspirin Fracture of base of skull Acoustic neuroma (unilateral deafness) Meniere's disease Presbycusis Conductive loss Impacted earwax Ruptured eardrum (blow to head or explosion) Blockage of eustachian tube Ossicular dysfunction Dislocation Otitis media or fluid Otosclerosis Audiometry Audiometry should be performed when the subject has not been exposed to loud noise for at least 16 hours (or has worn high efficiency muffs before the test). Vascular Neurological * Trauma * Peripheral nerve entrapment * Polyarteritis nodosa * Trauma to arm or neck * Scleroderma * Peripheral neuropathy * Thoracic outlet syndrome * Drugs and other toxic effects * Cold agglutinins * Syringomyelia * Systemic lupus erythematosus * Spinal cord compression * Dermatomyositis * Multiple sclerosis * Rheumatoid arthritis - Prognosis The vascular component can slowly improve if exposure to vibration is stopped early in stage 2, and a change of job should be encouraged.