Glycerol and urea can induce positive threshold shifts in Menire's disease whereas mannitol and ethanol do not seem to possess this ability. As an impaired blood supply is suspected to be part of the mechanism behind Menière's disease, the difference in ability of the various hyperosmotic solutions to improve hearing might depend on different effects on the cochlear blood flow. The microsphere method was used to study the cochlear blood flow in albino rabbits before and after administration of hyperosmotic solutions of glycerol, urea and mannitol. The cochlear blood flow increased by about 30% after administration of all solutions. As no difference was found in the effect on cochlear blood flow by the different substances and as the increase in cochlear blood supply was only modest, it would appear that the increment of cochlear blood flow is not a main factor behind the hearing improvements in Menire's disease after glycerol and urea ingestion.