XXVIII The Effect of Aspirin upon Auditory Sensitivity

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Abstract
Deafness and tinnitus are thought to arise from doses of aspirin considered to be within normal therapeutic levels. The effect of aspirin upon hearing sensitivity was explored as a function of extent of dose. Five normal-hear ing women were used. Over a period of 4 control and 4 experimental days a series of audiological tests were administered in an effort to reflect differential involvement of the cochlear, retrocochlear, or central process(es) in the auditory system. Subjects continued for 4 days dosages of 5-grain aspirin tablets (3 aspirin every 4 hours). Salicylate levels in the blood were obtained as a verification of subjects aspirin dosage and to reduce the need for an additional placebo control stage. Aspirin causes a reduction in pure-tone sensitivity as a function of time and frequency, the higher frequencies being affected more severely than the lower frequencies with the effect becoming more noticeable over days. Measures of threshold adaptation were nonsignificant. Reception of normal and distorted speech materials were not effected. The slope of the temporal integration function was reduced to about [long dash]5 db/log duration. Auditory fatigue recovery curves were normal during the first 3 minutes of recovery, but reduced after that time to less effect than normal even when the fatiguing stimulus was adjusted for loss of auditory sensitivity. Subjective reports indicate tinnitus to be a basic symptom with a general alteration in the perceptive complexion of stimulus material. Consideration of all audiologic measures indicates that the locus of aspirin effect is intracochlear, with mechanical displacement of structures within the cochlear duct, or metabolic disturbances, being suggested as 2 possible sources of reduced auditory sensitivity.

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