Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment of middle ear myoclonus. Methods: Fifty-six cases of middle ear myoclonus were enrolled in Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University from September 2019 to August 2021, including 23 males and 33 females. The age ranged from 6 to 75 years, with a median age of 35 years; Forty-seven cases were unilateral tinnitus, nine cases were bilateral tinnitus. The time of tinnitus ranged from 20 days to 8 years. The voice characteristics, inducing factors, nature (frequency) of tinnitus, tympanic membrane conditions during tinnitus, audiological related tests, including long-term acoustic tympanogram, stapedius acoustic reflex, pure tone auditory threshold, short increment sensitivity test, alternate binaural loudness balance test, loudness discomfort threshold, vestibular function examination, facial electromyography, and imaging examination were recorded. Oral carbamazepine and/or surgical treatment were used. The patients were followed up for 6-24 months and the tinnitus changes were observed. Results: Tinnitus was diverse, including stepping on snow liking sound, rhythmic drumming, white noise, and so on. The inducing factors included external sound, body position change, touching the skin around the face and ears, speaking, chewing and blinking, etc. Forty-four cases were induced by single factor and 9 cases were induced by two or more factors. There was no definite inducing factor in 1 case. One patient had tinnitus with epilepsy. One case of traumatic facial paralysis after facial nerve decompression could induce tinnitus on the affected side when the auricle moved. Tympanic membrane flutter with the same frequency as tinnitus was found in 12 cases by otoscopy, and the waveform with the same frequency as tinnitus was found by long-term tympanogram examination. There were 7 patients with no tympanic membrane activity by otoscopy, the 7 cases also with the same frequency of tinnitus by long-term tympanogram examination, but the change rate of the waveform was faster than that of the patients with tympanic membrane flutter. All patients with tinnitus had no change in hearing. One case of tinnitus complicated with epilepsy (a 6-year-old child) was treated with antiepileptic drug (topiramate) and tinnitus subsided. One case suffered from tinnitus after facial nerve decompression for traumatic facial paralysis was not given special treatment. Fifty-four cases were treated with oral drug (carbamazepine), of which 10 cases were completely controlled and 23 cases were relieved; 21 cases were invalid. Among the 21 patients with no effect of carbamazepine treatment, 8 patients were treated by surgery, 7 patients had no tinnitus after surgery, 1 patient received three times of operation, and the third operation was followed up for 6 months, no tinnitus occurred again. The other 13 cases refused the surgical treatment due to personal reasons. Conclusions: Middle ear myoclonus tinnitus and the inducing factors manifestate diversity. Oral carbamazepine and other sedative drugs are effective for some patients, and surgical treatment is feasible for those who are ineffective for medication.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Ear, Middle/surgery* ; Hearing Tests ; Myoclonus/complications* ; Tinnitus/etiology* ; Tympanic Membrane

Objective: To clarify the long-term characteristics of tinnitus following treatment of sudden deafness and its long-term physical and mental effects on patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 88 patients (46 males and 42 females; Age from 11 to 89 years) with sudden deafness treated in Department of Otoscope Surgery of Peoples's Libration Army General Hospital in Beijing from April 2020 to January 2021, and the occurrence of tinnitus and treatment effect of all patients were analyzed. Follow-up was conducted for patients with residual tinnitus after treatment for more than 1 year by the investigation and filling in the survey information collection form, Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Descriptive statistics and SPSS 22.0 software were used for statistical data analysis. Results: In this study, 93.2% (82/88) of patients with sudden deafness were accompanied by tinnitus at the onset, and the proportion of long-term tinnitus after treatment was 90.2% (74/82). After 1 year of treatment for sudden deafness, the improvement of tinnitus was significant in low-frequency sudden deafness compared with those of high-frequency, flat and total deafness sudden deafness (χ2 value was 6.801, 4.568 and 4.038, all P<0.05). In patients with residual tinnitus, 9 (12.2%) patients felt minimal loudness or even no loudness, 34 (46.0%) patients felt slight loudness, 28 (37.8%) patients felt tinnitus was relatively loud, and 3 (4.1%) patients felt tinnitus was loud or noisy. Nine (12.2%) patients's sleep was often affected, 41 (55.4%) patients's sleep was sometimes affected, 9 (12.2%) patients's sleep was rarely affected, 15 (20.3%) patients's sleep was almost not affected. Twenty-eight (37.8%) patients basically completely adapted to tinnitus and 46 (62.2%) patients did not completely adapted to residual tinnitus. Eight (10.8%) patients had no impact on life, 39 (52.7%) patients had slight impact, 22 (29.7%) patients had moderate impact, and the other 5 (6.8%) patients had greater impact. According to tinnitus evaluation questionnaire(TEQ), there were 12 cases (16.2%) of grade Ⅰ, 26 cases (35.1%) of grade Ⅱ, 28 cases (37.8%) of grade Ⅲ, 7 cases (9.5%) of grade Ⅳ and 1 case (1.4%) of grade Ⅴ. According to tinnitus handicap inventory(THI), tinnitus disability was classified into grade Ⅰ, 22 cases (29.7%), grade Ⅱ, 14 cases (18.9%), Grade Ⅲ, 27 cases (36.5%) and grade Ⅳ, 11 cases (14.9%). Conclusion: The rate of residual tinnitus following treatment of sudden deafness is high. Some of the patients can completely adapt residual tinnitus after one year, but some of them will be affected when sleep, work and study. Residual tinnitus can lead to tinnitus disability in different degrees.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Child ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/therapy* ; Tinnitus/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Deafness/complications* ; Audiometry

Objective: To explore the feasibility and short-term effect of tensor tympani muscle Tenotomy in the treatment of Meniere's disease under otoscope. The possible pathogenesis was discussed and our views were put forward. Methods: The clinical data of 9 cases of Meniere's disease treated by otoscopic Tenotomy were analyzed retrospectively, including 2 males, 7 females, 5 right ones, 2 left ones and 2 bilateral ones. The average age was (56.33± 10.56) years, ranging from 38 to 75 years. We evaluated intraoperative findings and short-term postoperative efficacy, respectively evaluated postoperative aural fullness, tinnitus and hearing recovery, and evaluated postoperative vertigo attack in a short time. Results: Nine patients were completed the operation under general anaesthesia and otoscopy, and no serious complications occurred. We found new pathological changes in tympanic cavity in some cases during operation. There were rupture of round window membrane in 1 case, severe fibrous hyperplasia near the round window membrane and vestibular window and adhesion with ossicular chain in 1 case, fibrous cord and membranous hyperplasia near vestibular window and round window membrane in 1 case, fibrous hyperplasia and adhesion near the round window membrane in 2 cases, membranous hyperplasia and adhesion around vestibular window in 1 case. No fibrous hyperplasia was found in 3 cases in the tympanic cavity. The round window membrane can be exposed in 4 cases and failed in 5 cases. After 3 months of follow-up, we found that we found that 5/5 cases of aural fullness disappeared, 2/2 cases of earache disappeared, 3/8 cases of tinnitus improved, 5/8 cases presented with improvement and no aggravation, 3/3 cases of hearing allergy improved, 4/9 cases of hearing improved, and 5/9 cases showed no improvement or decrease. 9 patients were followed up for 3 months, of whom 8 patients had no vertigo, one patient suffered from vertigo twice within 3 months after operation, and the patient suffered from rupture of round window membrane. Conclusions: Endoscopic Tenotomy for Meniere's disease has obvious curative effect and quick recovery after operation. During the operation, we find that most of Meniere's patients have fibrous cord hyperplasia near the inner ear window membrane, which may be the pathological manifestation after repeated rupture and repair of the inner ear window membrane. The vertigo of Meniere's disease may be related to the destruction and repair of inner ear membrane structure caused by improper contraction or spasm of tympanic tensor muscle.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia/pathology* ; Male ; Meniere Disease/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Otoscopes/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tenotomy/adverse effects* ; Tensor Tympani/surgery* ; Tinnitus/complications* ; Vertigo/etiology*

Objective: To study the clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies for vein-related pulsatile tinnitus patients with transverse sinus stenosis. Methods: The clinical data of patients with vein-related pulsatile tinnitus, from January 2015 to August 2019, were collected,whose digital subtraction angiography showing transverse sinus stenosis. Taking December 2019 as the last follow-up time, we analyzed the clinical characteristics, CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography results, lumbar puncture pressure and cerebrospinal fluid composition, and other auxiliary examination results (pure tone audiometry, fundus examination of papilledema, carotid ultrasonography, bone density screening, endocrinous test), as well as tinnitus handicap inventory, treatment options and follow-up results. Results: 83 patients were enrolled with female of 89.2% (74/83) and male of 10.8%(9/83); 65.1% (54/83) with right tinnitus, 31.3% (26/83) with left tinnitus, and 3.6% (3/83) with bilateral tinnitus; 67.5% (56/83) with right dominant sinus, 19.3% (16/83) with left dominant sinus, 13.3% (11/83) with bilateral equalization; Bilateral and ipsilateral stenosis accounted for 55.4% and 44.6% respectively; BMI was overweight or obese in 41 cases (49.4%, 41/83). Patients with tinnitus handicap inventory level three or above accounted for 79.5% (66/83). Eventually, 33 patients chose conservative observation (39.8%, 33/83), 40 patients (48.2%), 8 patients (9.6%) and 2 patients (2.4%) received sigmoid sinus-related surgery, interventional surgery, or emissary vein occlusion respectively. The mean follow-up time of 74 patients was 26.2 months. The data of 48 surgery patients showed that the pressure differences of venous sinus among the recurrent patients were more obvious; Interventional surgery with simultaneous stenting placement was effective. Tinnitus did not decrease in two patients with emissary vein occlusion. Analysis of 26 patients with lumbar puncture revealed eight cases of normal cranial pressure and 18 cases of high cranial pressure. The sinus pressure difference between the two groups was different (P=0.025), but the difference of age of onset, concomitant symptoms, BMI, proportion of empty sella or papilledema was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: The evaluation of patients with vein-related pulsatile tinnitus requires a standardized procedure. Papilledema cannot be used as a sensitive indicator in patients with early intracranial hypertension. Venous sinus pressure difference may be one of the indicators of intracranial hypertension, and the lumbar puncture is the gold standard for the diagnosis. Weight loss can be used as a conservative treatment during the observation period. Significant sinus stenosis is a risk factor for recurrence in patients undergoing sigmoid sinus surgery. Interventional stenting is an effective treatment for tinnitus secondary to transverse sinus stenosis.
Constriction, Pathologic/complications* ; Cranial Sinuses ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Stents ; Tinnitus/etiology*

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy among acupuncture based on "jin" theory, regular acupuncture and western medication.

METHODSA total of 95 cases, by using incomplete randomization method, were divided into a "jin" theory acupuncture group (32 cases), a regular acupuncture group (31 cases) and a medication group (32 cases). Patients in the "jin" theory acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture based on "jin" theory which included the "gather" and "knot" points on the affected side: positive reacted points, Fengchi (GB 20), Tianrong (SI 17), Tianyou (TE16) and Yiming (EX-HN14) as the main acupoints, while the Ermen (TE 21), Tinggong (SI 19) and Tinghui (GB 2) and zhigou (TE 6) as the auxiliary acpoints; the treatment was given once a day. Patients in the regular acupuncture group were treated with regular acupuncture at Tinggong (SI 19), Tin- ghui (GB 2) and Ermen (TE 21) and other matched acupoints based on syndrome differentiation, once a day. Pa- tients in the medication group were treated with oral administration of betahistine mesylate, three times a day. Ten days of treatment were taken as one session in three groups, and totally 2 sessions were given. Visual analogue scale (VAS), tinnitus handicap inventory (THD), and tinnitus severity assessment scale (TSIS) were evaluated before and after treatment; also the clinical efficacy was compared among three groups.

RESULTSThere are 5 drop-out cases du- ring the study. After the treatment, the VAS, THI and TSIS were improved in three groups (all P < 0.05); the VAS, THI and TSIS in the "jin" theory acupuncture group were lower than those in the regular acupuncture group and medication group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The total effective rate was 90.0% (27/30), 80.0% (24/30) and 63.3% (19/30), which was higher in the "jin" theory acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture based on "jin" theory is superior to regular acupuncture and western medication for cervical tinnitus.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck Pain ; complications ; Tinnitus ; etiology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Tinnitus had been considered a surgically incurable disease, given the failure of several treatment methods. Jannetta reported that tinnitus is one of the hyperactive diseases of the cranial nerve along with hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia (TGN). Microvascular decompression (MVD) of the eighth cranial nerve was introduced to treat medically intractable tinnitus. Intraoperative monitoring of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) was able to reduce postoperative complication rates. Less than 1 ms of latency delay and a 40% decrease in amplitude of wave V of the brainstem evoked potential is a landmark of monitoring during surgery. Less than 6 years of duration of tinnitus, normal BAEP before surgery, no accompanying dizziness before surgery and a loop-type offending artery are effective factors for good surgical results of MVD.
Arteries ; Brain Stem ; Cranial Nerves ; Dizziness ; Evoked Potentials ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hemifacial Spasm ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery* ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Postoperative Complications ; Tinnitus* ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study compared clinical manifestations of idiopathic sudden hearing loss between children and the elderly. METHOD: 44 pediatric patients and 76 elderly patients diagnosed with idiopathic sudden deafness in our clinic from December 2009 to September 2014 were enrolled. Different clinical parameters were compared. RESULT: The incidence of initially profound hearing loss was highest and mild hearing loss was lowest in both groups (P < 0.05). There were no differences in the proportion with initially mild, moderate, severe, and profound hearing loss between both groups (P > 0.05). The number of patients was the most in initially profound type of audiogram pattern and the fewest in ascending type in both groups (P < 0.05). Hearing recovery rates in children (27/44, 61.4%) was higher than that in elderly patients (32/76, 42.1%) (P < 0.05). There were no differences in hearing recovery rates of the patients with initially level of hearing loss in both groups (P > 0.05). The highest recovery rate in children was in those with descending type and the lowest was in those with profound type (P < 0.05). There were no differences in hearing recovery rates in elderly patients with initially different types of audiogram pattern (P > 0.05). Hearing recovery rates of descending type in children were higher than that in elderly patients. Presence of tinnitus in pediatric patients was not relavent to the outcome (P > 0.05). Presence of tinnitus in elderly patients was associated with favorable outcomes. (P < 0.05). Presence of dizziness in pediatric patients was not relavent to the outcome (P > 0.05). Presence of dizziness in elderly patients was associated with poor outcomes (P < 0.05). Presence of initially different degrees of opposite side hearing loss in elderly patients was not relavent to the outcome (P > 0.05). Presence of chronic diseases in elderly patients was not associated with the outcome (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The clinical manifestion of idiopathic sudden deafness is respective in Children and in elderly patients.
Aged ; Child ; Dizziness ; complications ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; physiopathology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tinnitus ; complications ; Vertigo ; complications

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the composite acoustic therapy is effective to treat tinnitus in patients with sudden deafness and to explore the mechanisms. METHOD: Ninety-six cases (96 ears) were divided into experimental group and control group, and all the patients underwent drug treatment. The patients in experimental group were given personalized composite acoustic therapy in the first 30 days, music therapy in next 31-90 days, however, the patients in control group were not given sound therapy. Additionally, pure tone audiogram, tinnitus pitch and loudness as well as questionnaires (including THI, VAS, and SAS) were conducted for each patient before treatment, at day 30 and day 90 posttreatment. RESULT: Eighty-nine patients (n = 47 for experimental group and n = 42 for control group) completed the trial. The results of day 30 posttreatment showed there were no significant differences in VAS and hearing recovery rate between these two groups, but THI and SAS showed significant differences. The results of day 90 posttreatment showed significant differences in VAS (P < 0.05), THI (P < 0.01) and SAS (P < 0.01), and no significant difference of hearing recovery rate was detected. The most significant changes of VAS appeared in the first 30 days of treatment. The hearing and tinnitus recovery in experimental group were better for the first 30 days of treatment than for the next 31-90 days, and similar results were obtaind in control group. (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Composite acoustic treatment combined with drug therapy can improve the tinnitus and anxiety symptoms of patients with sudden deafness, and the effect on hearing recovery still need to be confirmed in further studies.
Acoustics ; Anxiety ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; complications ; therapy ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tinnitus ; complications ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the characteristics of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) patients with tinnitus, and explore the relationship of characteristics of tinnitus and audiology. METHOD: Patients diagnosed as SSHL with tinnitus were studied in the research. All patients' clinical features were analyzed, such as tinnitus frequency, pure tone audiometry, tinnitus, hearing loss degree, results of residual inhibition test. RESULT: Thirty cases were identified as mild degree hearing loss, 13 cases as moderate degree, 28 cases as severe degree and 34 cases as profound degree. And hearing impaired frequency of 13 cases was ascertained at low-frequency, 39 cases at middle-high-frequency, and 53 cases at full-range-frequency. The incidence of patients with low-frequency was about 41. 9% (44/105), and it was about 21. 9% (23/105) in those with middle-frequency. And it was 36. 2% (38/105) in cases of high-frequency tinnitus. The chi-square test show statistically significant differences between patients with the low-frequency, middle-frequency and high-frequency of the hearing loss (P<0. 05). In tinnitus residual inhibition test, positive rate of convergence type masking curve was about 72.0%, tinnitus separated type masking curve 20.0%, overlapping type was 57.9%, and the spacing type was 43.5%. There was a statistically significant difference among cases with different type masking curve (P<0. 05)with the spacing residual inhibition test positive rate. CONCLUSION There are individual differences of clinical characteristics among SSHL patients with tinnitus. Tinnitus frequency is consistent with the frequency of hearing loss. Patients had the more serious the degree of hearing loss, who had more serious tinnitus grading. Cases with the converged type curve will be fit for tinnitus masking. Therefore, combining the tinnitus detection with the audiological tests, we could obtain the clinical characteristics of SSHL patients with tinnitus.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Deafness ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Tinnitus ; complications ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation betwen varying degrees of non-acute tinnitus and anxiety and depression. METHOD: Seventy-seven outpatients with non-acute tinnitus as their in chief complaint were submitted to Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). RESULT: THI and its three subscales were found to have significant correlations with SAS and SDS. The group (THI ≥ 38) had more anxiety and depression than the mild (THI < 38). Significant correlations were also observed between THI, SAS and SDS in the group with THI ≥ 38, in contrast with the group of THI < 38. CONCLUSION Patients with THI ≥ 38 suffered from severe anxiety and depression than the mild. Doctors should pay more attention to these patients, especially their psychological disorders.
Anxiety ; complications ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Personality Inventory ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tinnitus ; complications ; psychology