Pseudohypacusis

Abstract

A diagnosis of psychogenic hearing loss can be made only if the 2 following criteria are met: the patient ?ails to respond in behavioral audiometry below a certain threshold but does respond to electrophysiologic audiometry or to audiometry under hypnosis or narcosynthesis; and the patient''s sensitivity to sounds in daily life is no better than would be expected from the behavioral audiometric responses. Such a diagnosis can be validated only if the patient demonstrates improved hearing under all circumstances after successful psychiatric or psychologic treatment or after spontaneous remission of the emotional disorder.