Evaluation of hearing and Tinnitus before and after treatment in adults with sudden hearing loss

Evaluation of Hearing and Tinnitus Before and After Treatment In Adults With Sudden Hearing Loss Sudden hearing loss (SHL) is defined as 30 dB or greater sensorineural hearing loss that involves at least 3 contiguous audiometric frequencies that occurs within 72 hours. Tinnitus accompanies SHL in 70% of the cases, and it may be a serious complaint than SHL itself. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of medical treatment on hearing, tinnitus and hearing loss in patients with concurrent SHL and tinnitus. 30 patients with hearing loss that developed within 72 hours and diagnosed as SHL are included in this study. Only the patients with tinnitus are included. This treatment protocol is applied for 10 days. All the patients were evaluated on 1st, 5th and 10th days with audiometry (bone and air conduction threshold levels, speech audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex test) and tinnitus tests (Localization, pitch, loudness, minimal masking level, residual inhibition). Again on the 1st, 5th and 10th days, Amsterdam İnventory For Auditory Disability and Handicap (AIADH), Tinnitus Disability Questionnaire (TDQ) and Beck Depression Scale (BDS) were applied to patients. Vertigo, fullness in ears, loss of balance, and the properties of tinnitus were questioned. Compared to the 1st day, improvement in hearing and speech discrimination levels and decrease in hearing disability and depression levels are observed both on 5th and 10th days. No differences were found in tinnitus pitch with treatment, but both tinnitus loudness and tinnitus disability scores were found to have decreased on 5th and 10th days, compared to day 1. Comprared to day 1, statistically significant reduction in all subcatogories of AIADH, hearing disability levels and depression scores obtained with BDS were found on 5th and 10th days. No differences in vertigo, ear fullness and balance loss were found with the treatment. In conclusion, in SHL patients with concurrent tinnitus, together with the improved hearing, decreased tinnitus loudness, tinnitus disability scores, hearing disability levels and depression were acquired with medical treatment. Keywords: Disability, handicap, hearing, sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, treatment