Tinnitus--incidence and handicap.

A questionnaire investigation, comprising 1091 patients, was conducted at a hearing centre. A majority of patients, 59%, claimed that they were troubled by tinnitus. A strong correlation was found between the laterality of tinnitus and that of subjective hearing loss. Neither a greater degree of hearing loss nor a longer duration of tinnitus was shown to be associated with more severe tinnitus. Among patients with both subjective hearing loss and tinnitus, 23% stated that tinnitus was the greater problem and 38% that their tinnitus and hearing loss were equally troublesome. The corresponding figures for patients with hearing impairment of such a degree that a hearing aid had been fitted were 9% and 41% respectively. Stress symptoms such as headache, tension of facial muscles and sleep disturbances were correlated to tinnitus. Psychosomatic complaints should therefore be taken into account in the treatment of tinnitus. Of patients with tinnitus, 83% were interested in obtaining treatment for their tinnitus. It is postulated that the previously reported predominance of left-sided tinnitus is due to a higher frequency of left-sided hearing impairment. A majority of patients with tinnitus and hearing impairment regarded their tinnitus as the major problem. Efforts towards investigation and treatment of tinnitus might therefore considerably improve the prospects for hearing rehabilitation.