Trauma-Associated Tinnitus and Hearing Loss: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes

and Objectives : Trauma-associated auditory dysfunction, encompassing tinnitus and hearing loss, represents a frequent yet underrecognized sequela of acoustic overexposure, blast injury, and head trauma. Despite increasing clinical awareness, the published literature exhibits substantial heterogeneity in reported prevalence estimates and recovery outcomes across different injury mechanisms....

This narrative review reinforces existing awareness of acoustic trauma as a risk factor for tinnitus and hearing loss but does not introduce new evidence sufficient to change current clinical management protocols.

Trauma-associated tinnitus and hearing loss represent a significant and growing clinical burden, especially among military and occupational populations, making consolidated evidence summaries valuable for guiding care.

1. 01Narrative review synthesizes prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes for trauma-associated tinnitus and hearing loss.
2. 02Both acoustic overexposure (loud noise) and blast injury are examined as distinct causal mechanisms.
3. 03Risk factors span individual susceptibility, exposure intensity, and delayed treatment-seeking behavior.
4. 04Clinical outcomes include persistent tinnitus, permanent threshold shifts, and comorbid psychological conditions.
5. 05Review format limits causal inference; no new primary data are presented.

PMID

42356176

DOI

10.3390/medicina62061164.

Journal

Medicina

Publication type

review

Evidence level

5

Population

Individuals with tinnitus and/or hearing loss following acoustic overexposure or blast injury

Intervention

Narrative review of prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes