正常听力耳鸣患者的耳鸣音调

Tinnitus pitch in patients with normal hearing

目的通过观察正常听力耳鸣患者的耳鸣音调分布状况,探讨耳鸣的听力下降相关机理。方法总结美国Iowa大学医院2000—2007年耳鸣患者数据库,根据听力图筛选196例耳鸣患者中的听力正常者,对他们的耳鸣音调进行观察。结果耳鸣患者中有34.69%为正常听力者,听力正常耳鸣患者的耳鸣音调分布从500Hz至8kHz频率范围,8kHz耳鸣音调患者占55.88%。最大听阈提高频率与耳鸣音调之间不存在相关性。结论耳鸣可以存在于正常听力人群中,耳鸣音调分布范围较广,耳鸣起源于听力损失的理论不适用于解释正常听力耳鸣人群,耳鸣产生的机理不能用单一的理论来解释。

Objective To study the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus through examining tinnitus pitch in patients with normal hearing. Method Tinnitus patients seen between 2000-2007 at the University of Iowa Hospital and clinics were identified in a database. Patients with normal hearing were selected from a total of 195 patients and their tinnitus pitch match frequencies were examined. Results Of the 195 tinnitus patients,34.69% had normal hearing. The tinnitus pitch match frequencies of normal hearing tinnitus patients ranged from 500 Hz to 8 kHz,with 55.88% at 8 kHz. There was no relationship between tinnitus pitch and the maximum hearing threshold. Conclusion tinnitus patients can have normal hearing. The tinnitus pitch match frequency can vary in a wide range. The relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus may not explain the tinnitus in patients with normal hearing. There is likely more than a single mechanism for tinnitus.