Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a syndrome characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP) without focal signs for neurological dysfunction except for occasional fifth, sixth, and seventh cranial nerve palsies. Presenting symptoms most commonly are headache and visual loss. These patients may also present with complaints about neuro-otological symptoms like hearing loss, and tinnitus. In this study, we investigated the presence and laterality of neuro-otological symptoms, and correlations of these symptoms with the audiological and ophthalmological findings in patients with IIH. Materials and Methods: The study included 28 patients with the diagnosis of IIH and 18 patients as control group. Ears of the patients in the study were grouped as symptomatic ears of IIH patients, non-symptomatic ears of IIH patients and ears of control group patients. We questioned the patients for neuro-otologic symptoms. Audiological and electrophysiological evaluations and ophthalmological examinations were done. Results: The most common presenting symptom was headache. The most commonly seen neuro-otologic symptom was tinnitus, which was present in 21 patients (75%). Tinnitus was in pulsatile pattern in 15 of these patients (71.4%). We observed sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in 20 patients (35.7%) when standard pure tone averages (SPTA) and SNHL in 39 patients (69.6%) when low frequency pure tone averages (LFPTA) were evaluated. Complaints were unilateral in 39.3 % of these patients. SPTA and LFPTA’s of the symptomatic ears were significantly higher than the non-symptomatic ears of IIH patients (p=0.008, p=0.005 respectively). Conclusion: Neuro-otologic symptoms are commonly seen in patients with IIH. Audiological evaluations of the patients with unilateral symptoms showed different degree of hearing losses could be seen. Since neuro-otological symptoms and findings are commonly seen, audiological evaluations may play a role in the diagnosis and follow up of the patients with IIH. Patient follow up by the ear-noseand throat specialists and the audiologists in association with neuroophthalmologists is thought to be beneficial.
