Hazell J
FRCS, RNID, London, UK.
Acta Otolaryngol Suppl. 1990;476:202-8. doi: 10.3109/00016489109127279.
Although tinnitus is a common phenomenon, reported by up to 17% of the population, only 14% of those experiencing tinnitus find that it bothers them a great deal (OPCS 1983) (1). Tinnitus often becomes a complaint when its emotional or learned significance demands the constant attention of the listener (2). This significance is most commonly represented by the belief that the tinnitus sounds cannot be cured or controlled, that they will continue for ever getting louder, or that they hearld the onset of serious intracranial disease. The techniques of symptom control used in our tinnitus clinic since 1976 are discussed briefly, together with the role of counselling. Demographic data and results of treatment with respect to age are presented in a group of 472 tinnitus patients studied over three years. There is no relationship between age and subjective complaint or management outcome. Audiometric measurements of tinnitus correlate with hearing loss rather than with age. Somatic anxiety shows a slight increase with age in this population of tinnitus patients.
尽管耳鸣是一种常见现象，高达17%的人群都有过耳鸣经历，但只有14%的耳鸣患者觉得耳鸣对他们造成了极大困扰（英国人口普查与调查局，1983年）（1）。当耳鸣的情感或习得意义需要听者持续关注时，耳鸣往往就会成为一种主诉（2）。这种意义最常见的体现是人们认为耳鸣声无法治愈或控制，会持续不断且越来越响，或者认为耳鸣预示着严重颅内疾病的发作。本文简要讨论了自1976年以来我们耳鸣诊所所采用的症状控制技术以及咨询的作用。同时还给出了一组在三年间接受研究的472例耳鸣患者的人口统计学数据和年龄相关的治疗结果。年龄与主观主诉或治疗效果之间并无关联。耳鸣的听力测定结果与听力损失相关，而非与年龄相关。在这群耳鸣患者中，躯体焦虑随年龄略有增加。
