A simple and time saving cold mini caloric test.

A simple and time-saving office procedure is presented. The test consists of placing a small piece of cotton-wool soaked in ice water against the tympanic membrane. We term this test the Cold mini caloric test. Our method has been compared quantitatively with the Bithermal caloric test in 20 normal controls, 50 unspecific dizzy patients with no vestibular or obvious neurological disorder, 22 Menière ears, 12 acoustic neuromas and 20 cases of vestibular neuronitis. The comparison between the two methods has shown the Cold mini caloric test to present consistently similar, though somewhat shorter, nystagmic reactions. There was no difference in the clinical information obtained by the two methods.