Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Individuals with noise-induced hearing loss also have damage to the vestibular structures. Most of the individuals exposed to noise have permanent bilateral dysfunction of the cochlea-vestibular structures. As the vestibular damage is bilateral, vertigo may not be a major complaint in individuals with NIHL. This is why the vestibular assessment in individuals with NIHL gets ignored most of the time. VEMPs is a recent tool that assesses the sacculocollic pathway and the utriculo ocular reflex pathway. Various studies have indicated damage to the VEMPs in individuals with NIHL. Based on cVEMP and oVEMP findings, studies have revealed more damage to the saccule and its end-organ than the utricle and its end-organ in individuals with NIHL. The chapter provides detailed information on the effect of noise on the vestibular system.