TINNITUS: STUDY OF THE INCOMMODE DEGREE AND RELATION TO THE LOCATION OF THE SYMPTOM

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: Investigate the annoyance caused by tinnitus related to laterality. Material and Methods: It is a retrospective and cross-sectional documentary study in which 125 patients participated, 79 women and 46 men, subdivided into three groups regarding the tinnitus laterality. Group I was composed of 53 subjects with unilateral tinnitus, group II with 58 participants with bilateral tinnitus and group III with 14 individuals with tinnitus in the head. A database was formed with the responses regarding the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory – THI; visual analogue scale (VAS) and trait-state anxiety inventory (IDATE). The results were analyzed through the R-Project program version 3.3.3, the Student's T-test and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Results: The majority of patients (46%) presented bilateral tinnitus, affecting mainly the female gender. Concerning the degree of discomfort, all groups presented grade 3 (moderate – THI), but without significance between groups. In the VAS, the 10-point (mode) score was observed, with a higher occurrence in group II. The anxiety trait was higher for group II. Conclusion: Patients with bilateral tinnitus have more frequent and severe discomfort than those with unilateral and in the head tinnitus. DESCRIPTORS: Tinnitus. Hearing. Functional Laterality. Audiology.