INTERMITTENT TINNITUS IN ADULTS: AN INSIGHT INTO COVERT HEARING LOSS

Abstract

Objectives: Association of high frequency hearing loss/minor damage in peripheral auditory system in continuous chronic tinnitus with normal PTA is well established.The purpose of the study was to verify whether this finding is true for intermittent unilateral or bilateral tinnitus patients with normal PTA using EHF audiometry and conventional DPOAEs. Materials and method:This study was conducted on 45 normal hearing adults between the age ranges of 18-30 years. Among them 30 adults comprised of study group with intermittent tinnitus which varies in laterality.Tinnitus evaluation was done on these population followed by THI administration. DPOAE and EHF audiometry was completed on all subjects after conventional hearing assessment program. Result and Discussion:Kruskal Wallis H test & Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare OAE amplitude & EHF thresholds.Spearman's correlation was used to evaluate the correlation between DPOAE amplitude with EHF threshold. Reduced hearing sensitivity in the extended high frequency region may be early predictor of outer hair cell dysfunction in the most basal area.Findings of this study suggest that intermittent tinnitus may also lead to subtle lesion at the basal region of cochlea which would result in a significant hearing loss with continuous tinnitus in future. Conclusion:Intermittent tinnitus may increase the fragility of peripheral auditory system which may lead to permanent lesions and would be evident as elevated thresholds in conventional PTA.