Audiologic Characteristics of Unilateral Tinnitus Patients without Subjective Hearing Disturbance

Oh, Jae Ho; Han, Woo Hee; Lee, Seung Hwan; Min, Hyun Jung; Kim, Young Mi; Park, Chul Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Tinnitus is an audiologic sensation without external sound stimuli. The aim of this study is to assess characterisistics in unilateral tinnitus patients without subjective hearing loss by analyzing their audiologic test results.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
We used results of audiologic tests including pure tone audiogram (PTA), tinnitogram and distortion products of otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) from 96 unilateral tinnitus patients without subjective hearing loss. We compared the results of tinnitus ear with non-tinnitus ear individually, and also analyzed these data according to their age, symptom and duration.
RESULTS
The hearing level of PTA of tinnitus ears compared to non-tinnitus ears was statistically significant at 4000 Hz and 8000 Hz, and it was more prominent at age over forty. DPOAE results were significantly low at 4000 Hz level in tinnitus ears compared to non-tinnitus ears. Loudness and duration of symptoms were louder and longer when hearing loss was accompanied.
CONCLUSION
In unilateral tinnitus patients without subjective hearing disturbance, a pattern of high frequency hearing loss was found in PTA and DPOAE. The patients with hearing loss above 25 dB HL at any frequency are older and have longer duration with high pitch-louder tinnitus. Therefore, even though tinnitus patient has no subjective hearing loss, it is important to make treatment plan by sufficient audiologic evaluation.