Tinnitus Etiologies Determine Pitch and Minimum Masking Levels

A recent article looked at "data of 509 ears" to determine if etiology affected tinnitus pitch and minimum masking levels (MML) and found both to be true. Of interest, tinnitus from recent noise trauma required in one of the lowest minimum masking levels and tinnitus from aging required one of the highest.

Here's the abstract of the article:

Int J Audiol. 2014 Mar 31. [Epub ahead of print]

Tinnitus pitch and minimum masking levels in different etiologies.
Zagólski O1, Stręk P.
Author information

• 1* ENT Department, St. John Grande's Hospital , Kraków , Poland.

Abstract
Objective: We sought to determine whether the results of audiological tests and tinnitus characteristics, particularly tinnitus pitch and minimum masking level (MML), depend on tinnitus etiology, and what other etiology-specific tinnitus characteristics there are. Design: The patients answered questions concerning tinnitus laterality, duration, character, aggravation, alleviation, previous treatment, and circumstances of onset. The results of tympanometry, pure-tone audiometry, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, tinnitus likeness spectrum, MML, and uncomfortable loudness level were evaluated. Study sample: Patients with several tinnitus etiological factors were excluded. The remaining participants were divided into groups according to medical history: acute acoustic trauma: 67 ears; chronic acoustic trauma: 82; prolonged use of oral estrogen and progesterone contraceptives: 46; Ménière's disease: 25; congenital hearing loss: 19; sensorineural sudden deafness: 40; dull head trauma: 19; viral labyrinthitis: 53; stroke: 6; presbycusis: 152. Data of 509 ears were analysed. Results: Tinnitus pitch was highest in patients with acute acoustic trauma and lowest in patients receiving estrogen and progesterone. MML was lowest after acute acoustic trauma and in congenital hearing loss, and highest after a stroke and in the case of presbytinnitus. Conclusions: Tinnitus pitch and MML are etiology dependent.

Reference:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24684405

 

Not in my experience. I have noise trauma induced and its unmaskable and a lot of others I know.

 

The authors noted "acute acoustic trauma." Acute means recent. We don't know what they reported for chronic acoustic trauma. You'd have to read the article, not just the abstract.

But I do know tinnitus sounds often change. My tinnitus resulted from a barotrauma, and it was maskable for a few weeks. Then it shifted and became unmaskable. I think this experience is common.

Nevertheless, these findings are interesting. And they may have treatment implications.

At the 2014 TRI meeting, researchers noted the following:

Tinnitus researchers agree that there may never be a single cure for tinnitus, but instead a range of treatments for different types of tinnitus will be needed.

Developments in bioengineering technology may lead to the development of tools needed to identify each type of tinnitus.

This was the consensus when more than 200 researchers from 20 countries were in Auckland recently to discuss treatment of tinnitus or “ringing” in the head or ears.​

 

This is great research! Thanks for sharing!