[Character of early tinnitus about sudden deafness].

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinical characteristics of early tinnitus in patients with sudden deafness.

METHOD: Forty-seven patients with sudden deafness and early tinnitus recieved subjective review and filled out classified questionnaire of tinnitus. By pure tone audiometry and tinnitus matching test, we obtain the distribution, quantity and matching loudness of tinnitus patients.

RESULT: (1) Objective examination: the most common frequencies of tinnitus were 8000 Hz and 4000 Hz. The most common numbers were two frequencies. The matching loudness was (16.63 ± 8.37) dB. (2) Subjective examination: the tinnitus was monotone (74.0%), sustained (89.0%), third level loudness (45.0%), third level annoying (60.0%), high frequency (83.0%), sound of cicadas (66.7%). The most influencing factors were hearing (28.2%) and mood (29.5%). (3) Relationship between tinnitus and pure tone hearing threshold curve: there was a significant correlation between the frequency of pure tone audiometry and the matching loudness of tinnitus (r = -0. 370, P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the frequency of pure tone tinnitus and the matching loudness of tinnitus (r = -0.083, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

(1) The results of subjective examination were consistent with those of objective examination. (2) The tinnitus should be considered in the early treatment of sudden deafness.