Original Paper

When Tinnitus Loudness and Annoyance Are Discrepant: Audiological Characteristics and Psychological Profile
Wolfgang Hiller^a, Gerhard Goebel<sup>b

a</sup>Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Mainz, Mainz, and
^bRoseneck Center of Behavioral Medicine, Prien, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Audiol Neurotol 2007;12:391-400 (DOI: 10.1159/000106482)

  Key Words

• Tinnitus
• Tinnitus loudness
• Annoyance rating
• Psychological profile
• Hyperacusis

  Abstract

This study evaluates sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients reporting discrepant levels of tinnitus loudness and annoyance. 4958 subjects recruited from a national tinnitus association completed a comprehensive screening questionnaire including Klockhoff and Lindblom's loudness grading system and the psychometric Mini-TQ (Tinnitus Questionnaire). There was a moderate correlation of 0.45 between loudness and annoyance. Of the subjects reporting very loud tinnitus, about one third had only mild or moderate annoyance scores. They were not different from those with high annoyance regarding age, gender and tinnitus duration, but annoyance was increased when subjects had additional hearing loss (OR = 1.71), vertigo/dizziness (OR = 1.94) or hyperacusis (OR = 4.96). Another significant predictor was history of neurological disease (OR = 3.16). Subjects reported low annoyance despite high loudness more often if not feeling low/depressed and not considering themselves as victims of their noises. A specific psychological profile was found to characterize annoyed tinnitus sufferers. Permanent awareness of the noises, decreased ability to ignore them and concentration difficulties were reported frequently even when overall annoyance scores were comparatively low. It is concluded that the coexistence of tinnitus with hearing loss, vertigo/dizziness and hyperacusis as complicating otological conditions seems to be of clinical relevance for the prediction of high annoyance levels. Tinnitus loudness and annoyance are not necessarily congruent and should be assessed separately.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Wolfgang Hiller
University of Mainz, Department of Clinical Psychology
Staudingerweg 9
DE-55099 Mainz (Germany)
Tel. +49 6131 392 2344, Fax +49 6131 392 4623, E-Mail hiller@mail.uni-mainz.de

  Article Information

Received: November 1, 2006
Accepted after revision: April 20, 2007
Published online: July 27, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 10
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 46