Relação da presença de hiperacusia em pacientes com paralisia facial periférica de Bell

Bell's palsy is a unilateral facial paralysis of sudden onset and unknown cause. It may affect salivation, taste and lachrymation depending on the site of facial nerve involvement. Patients can report supersensitive hearing. The stapedius reflex is absent in patients with Bell's palsy. AIM...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Liriano, Raquel Ysabel Guzmán [UNIFESP], Magalhães, Sandra Lira Bastos De, Barros, Flávia [UNIFESP], Testa, Jose Ricardo Gurgel [UNIFESP], Fukuda, Yotaka [UNIFESP]
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2004
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
Language:Portuguese
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unifesp.br:11600/2320
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-72992004000600012
http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/2320
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:facial paralysis (Bell's palsy)
hyperacusis
paralisia de Bell
hiperacusia
Description
Summary:Bell's palsy is a unilateral facial paralysis of sudden onset and unknown cause. It may affect salivation, taste and lachrymation depending on the site of facial nerve involvement. Patients can report supersensitive hearing. The stapedius reflex is absent in patients with Bell's palsy. AIM: The objective of the present study was to check if patients with Bell's palsy present hyperacusis. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eighteen patients with peripheral facial paralysis were randomly selected and examined. Complete ENT evaluation was performed, including Hilger facial nerve stimulator, Schirmer's test, electrogustometry, pure tone testing, speech audiometry, immittance testing and discomfort loudness levels. The group aged 31-40 years was the most affected by peripheral facial paralysis in this sample. RESULTS: The incidence was higher in females (61%). The right side of the face was involved in 56% of patients. As to local involvement, grade IV was observed in 44% of cases and grades III and V in 28% of patients each. Only one patient (5.5%) complained of hyperacusis. All studied patients presented reduced tolerance threshold in the audiometric graphs, and stapedius reflex protects these patients by 16dB on average. CONCLUSION: Therefore, we could conclude that the frequency of complaints of hyperacusis in patients with Bell's palsy was similar to that of the general population; however, in audiometric terms, the tolerance threshold in the paralyzed side was lower when compared with the normal side.