OBJECTIVETo discuss the relationship between tinnitus and deafness, the clinical features and influencing factors in tinnitus patients.

METHODSData with previous medical history, clinical manifestation and audiologic examination results, etc. of tinnitus patients were collected to find out clinical features of tinnitus. The relationship between various factors and tinnitus was therefore established.

RESULTSAverage age of developing tinnitus syndrome was 53.2 +/- 0.9. Patients with lighter physical and mental work were the largest proportion (39.5%). Acute onset of tinnitus patients was more severe than that of chronicle (P < 0.01). Most of tinnitus melody was 8000 Hz (22.9%). Loudness of tinnitus concentrated in 5 - 10 dBSL. There was no severity of distinction between different patients with different tinnitus melody or loudness (P > 0.05). There were 75.6% patients showing sensorineural deafness. When the melody in the ears was high-frequency, hearing loss for the majority of patients was at high frequency region. Meanwhile, for the low frequency, speech frequency, hearing loss was also at the corresponding frequency region. There were 89.6% patients showing psychological adverse reactions, including irritability (83.8%), insomnia (63.7%), and inability to concentrate (30.3%).

CONCLUSIONSThe relationship between tinnitus and deafness are inseparable. So we should carry out periodically hearing testing to tinnitus patients with normal hearing or with high-risk population (45 years age to nearly 50 years old), in order to early diagnosis and intervention. Psychological adverse reactions are the main clinical features of tinnitus. It is important for the treatment of tinnitus to correct adverse psychological state.