[Subjective assessment of acute tinnitus and proposal of a tinnitus score].

BACKGROUND

Frequency, loudness and the level for masking of tinnitus of many patients can be measured. The measured parameters and the subjective feelings of the patients often do not correlate.

METHODS

In a prospective study the subjective experiences of symptoms of 34 in-patients with acute tinnitus without hearing loss were analysed. The patients were asked before, during, immediately after and 3 years after therapy to fill in a form each. 4 questions allowed to assume the complaints to categories, 4 times the patients were asked to mark the intensity of their complaints on horizontal visual analogue scales. Each question scored from 0 to 5 points, a total score from 0 to 40 is possible.

RESULTS

The therapy improved all parameters, the score improved from 23.0 to 14.7. The introduced questionnaire and the score allow a detailed documentation of the success of the treatment and with it the possibility to compare various approaches of therapy.