General
This study is concerned with the effect of temporary closure of the Eustachian tube on hearing acuity scores obtained during pure-frequency audiometric measurement. The "common cold," nasal allergies, and tobacco smoking with inhaling presumably could produce some edema of the orifice of the Eustachian tube, resulting in partial closure, and thus have direct effects on the auditory threshold as measured by the pure-frequency audiometer. It is not unreasonable to expect hearing scores to be slightly less sensitive even when there is a slight closure of the Eustachian tube from some of the common forms of congestion mentioned above.
Problem
These considerations motivated us to conduct a simple preliminary study on the effects of the use of a nasal spray on hearing acuity scores, the spray presumably keeping patent or open the orifice of the Eustachian tube. In undertaking this study, we proposed to assess the hearing of the subjects