Acute hearing loss can be an early sign of posterior circulation stroke, particularly in anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) infarctions.
However, hearing assessments are often overlooked due to the NIH Stroke Scale's focus on anterior strokes.
Real-world data showed missed diagnoses of vascular events when hearing loss was not evaluated. Integrating portable audiometry into stroke protocols could improve diagnostic accuracy and lead to timely interventions.
