A Prospective Observational Study to Establish a Correlation Between Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of tinnitus in adults with hearing problems is very high (59 - 86%). Both tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss can occur when there is damage throughout the auditory pathway from the inner ear to auditory cortex. Our aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of hearing loss in patients with tinnitus and to assess the association between tinnitus and hearing loss.

Materials and methods: This prospective observational study was conducted for 12 months between May 2022 and April 2023. 60 patients of both the sexes >15 years of age presenting with tinnitus in one or both ears were included in our study. Mentally ill and/or intoxicated patients were excluded. After clinical examination patients underwent Pure Tone Audiometry - average was calculated across 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz in terms of air conduction, bone conduction and air bone gap. Hearing loss was classified as conductive, sensorineural and mixed types. Tinnitus pitch and loudness matching was done for which opposite ear was taken as test ear. In cases of bilateral tinnitus with equal intensity, right ear was taken first as test ear. In case of bilateral tinnitus with unequal intensity, ear with higher intensity tinnitus was tested first. Sensation level of tinnitus was calculated by subtracting the hearing loss threshold from tinnitus loudness in decibel.

Result: In our study the mean age was found to be 44.20± 17.01years, with a male preponderance, and maximum number of cases complaining of left sided tinnitus. In an attempt to find a correlation between tinnitus and hearing loss, in right and left ears separately, ‘P’ value calculated to be <0.001.We also attempted to find a correlation between highest hearing loss and tinnitus loudness. We found that relative coefficient, ‘r’ being 0.309 on right side and 0.270 on left side. ‘P’ value on right is 0.097 and on left is 0.117.

Conclusion: Since most of the cases of tinnitus also complaints of hearing loss, so it is necessary to identify a relation between the two. If a relation between tinnitus and hearing can be identified, it helps to identify the pathophysiology, which will further be helpful to plan the line of management. There are very limited number of studies conducted. Our study suggests a definite relation between tinnitus and hearing loss though there is no statistically significant correlation found between tinnitus loudness and highest hearing loss in the same ear.