About B. Todd Troost, MD Expertise vertigo, benign positional vertigo, BPPV, and related ailments.
Experience
Past/Present clients More than 2000 patients with vertigo.
Chairman of Neurology Department for 18 years and examiner for American Board of Neurology for over 25 years. Extensive information is provided on my commericial free website at www.ivertigo.net
Expert: B. Todd Troost, MD Date: 4/3/2002 Subject: Hearing loss
Question When talking about hearing loss, what does the term recruitment pertain too. Also there is a term starting with the letter D, which if I understand correctly means to be hearing distorted sounds, such as a Micky Mouse sound. Would you be able to clarify these points and help me to understand theis terminology? I would really appreciate your help.
Also when talking about vertigo, why do they ask if we have had a Upper Respiratory Infection? Hope to hear from you soon! Thank you, Colleen
Answer Dear Colleen:
You are actually asking some very complex questions more in the realm of an expert audiologist which I am not. Therefore my answers will be simplified and you should further consult an audiologist for detail. Recruitment refers to an abnormal increase in the sense of loudness when increases are made in the intensity of sound. It is usually a sign of some problem in centrally eg.g in the nerve or the brain stem rather than in the ear itself.
The distortion of sounds term I am not familiar with and would defer to the audiologist.
With vertigo of sudden onset one of the common causes is vestibular neuronitis (also called labyrinthitis) a persumed viral inflammation of the inner ear. It sometimes is accomanied by an upper respiratory infection hence the question. The symptoms are discussed on my vertigo website at: http://ivertigo.net/vertigo/verdiagnosis.html#PERIPHERAL
