Real-ear Unaided Gain in Wrestlers with Unilateral Cauliflower Ear

Abstract

Background and Aim: Real-Ear Unaided Gain(REUG) can reveal the outer-ear resonance which reflects the effects of body and ear factors. Deformity in the outer ear may change the real-ear unaided responses. Cauliflower ear is a common ear deformity in wrestlers. Therefore, the use of required hearing aid gain in people with hearing loss for people with cauliflower ears may be inaccurate and causes dissatisfaction. This study aimed to compare the REUG of normal and cauliflower ear in wrestlers to investigate the frequencies at which the gain may be inaccurate. Methods: Ten male wrestlers with the age ranged from 21 to 31 years participated in this study. The study had within-subject design and only one group. The REUGs was recorded for both ears (normal and cauliflower ears) and the results analyzed. Results: The mean of REUG values were significantly different between the deformed and normal ears. There were two distinct peaks in the REUG curve of the deformed ear, while there was a single peak in that of the normal ear. Conclusion: The differences in the REUG at 2–6 kHz between the deformed and normal ears should be adjusted to reach the optimal hearing level for a hearing aid user with cauliflower ear. Keywords: Cauliflower ear; real ear unaided gain; hearing aid verification; target gain