Management of acoustic blast trauma-induced unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in child through Ayurveda: A case report

Abstract BACKGROUND: The term acoustic trauma represents injury to the ear due to blast or impulse noise to the auditory system, usually caused by exposure to explosives. Blast trauma causes immediate hearing loss, which may be associated with tinnitus and vestibular symptoms. It may cause damage to the tympanic membrane, ossicles, and cochlea singly or in combination. PATIENT INFORMATION AND THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS: An 11-year-old male child presented with complaints of reduced hearing ability and persistent ringing sensations (tinnitus) in the left ear for the past six years. The symptoms began following exposure to loud cracker sounds, which was recalled as the triggering event. The patient was examined with tuning fork tests, pure tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, and otoacoustic emissions test and diagnosed with acoustic trauma-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) of the left ear. By understanding the pathology of the disease, the patient was treated with the combination of Shamana Chikitsa (~palliative therapy) and local external therapeutic procedures for 4 months along with Pathya-Apathya (~wholesome-unwholesome regime). The patient showed complete improvement in ringing sounds after three months and complete improvement from moderately severe hearing loss to hearing within normal limits after four months of treatment. CONCLUSION: This case report reveals that acoustic blast trauma-induced sensory neural hearing loss can be managed through Ayurveda.