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Tullio Phenomenon

The Tullio phenomenon is the experience of vestibular symptoms and signs (vertigo, nystagmus, oscillopsia, postural imbalance, ocular tilt reaction, +/− skew deviation) on exposure to high intensity acoustic stimuli, presumed to be due to hyperexcitability of the normal vestibular response to sound, causing pathological stimulation of the semicircular canals and/or otoliths. This unusual phenomenon may be associated with perilymph leaks or a defect in the capsule forming the roof of the anterior semicircular canal. The sound sensitivity is probably at the level of the receptors rather than the vestibular nerve.

References

Watson SRD, Halmagyi GM, Colebatch JG. Vestibular hypersensitivity to sound (Tullio phenomenon). Structural and functional assessment. Neurology 2000; 54: 722-728