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<p>Tinnitus is a common otological symptom with multifactorial etiology. Somatosensory tinnitus (ST), a subtype influenced by altered somatic input from the cervical spine and temporomandibular joint, is increasingly recognized but remains underdiagnosed in routine ENT practice. To estimate the prevalence of somatosensory tinnitus among patients presenting with tinnitus at a tertiary care center and to analyze its demographic distribution, clinical characteristics, audiological profile, somatic modulation patterns, and tinnitus severity. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted over one year in the ENT outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. A total of 134 consecutive adult patients with subjective non-pulsatile tinnitus were enrolled. Evaluation included detailed clinical assessment, pure-tone audiometry, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and structured somatosensory modulation testing using a rapid screening tool. Somatosensory tinnitus was diagnosed based on reproducible modulation of tinnitus with head, neck, jaw, or cervical spine maneuvers. Somatosensory tinnitus was identified in 41 patients, yielding a prevalence of 30.6% (95% CI: 23.4–38.8) which was most commonly observed in the 31–50-year age group, with no significant association with age or sex. Bilateral tinnitus was the predominant presentation. Cervical spine movements were the most frequent somatic modulators (70.7%). Audiologically, 73.1% of ST patients had normal hearing or mild sensorineural hearing loss. Despite relatively preserved hearing, most patients reported moderate to severe tinnitus handicap on THI, with no patients in the “no handicap” category. Somatosensory tinnitus constitutes a substantial proportion of tinnitus cases in routine ENT practice and frequently occurs in patients with normal or minimally impaired hearing yet significant tinnitus-related distress. Routine screening for somatosensory modulation is essential for accurate diagnosis and enables targeted multidisciplinary management, potentially improving patient outcomes.</p>

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Prevalence of Somatosensory Tinnitus Among Patients Presenting with Tinnitus at a Tertiary Care Center : A Cross Sectional Study

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月17日

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  • Gaurav Datta,
  • Tapan Nagpal,
  • Nishit Gupta,
  • Anil Jain,
  • Kuldeep Joshi

摘要

Tinnitus is a common otological symptom with multifactorial etiology. Somatosensory tinnitus (ST), a subtype influenced by altered somatic input from the cervical spine and temporomandibular joint, is increasingly recognized but remains underdiagnosed in routine ENT practice. To estimate the prevalence of somatosensory tinnitus among patients presenting with tinnitus at a tertiary care center and to analyze its demographic distribution, clinical characteristics, audiological profile, somatic modulation patterns, and tinnitus severity. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted over one year in the ENT outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. A total of 134 consecutive adult patients with subjective non-pulsatile tinnitus were enrolled. Evaluation included detailed clinical assessment, pure-tone audiometry, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and structured somatosensory modulation testing using a rapid screening tool. Somatosensory tinnitus was diagnosed based on reproducible modulation of tinnitus with head, neck, jaw, or cervical spine maneuvers. Somatosensory tinnitus was identified in 41 patients, yielding a prevalence of 30.6% (95% CI: 23.4–38.8) which was most commonly observed in the 31–50-year age group, with no significant association with age or sex. Bilateral tinnitus was the predominant presentation. Cervical spine movements were the most frequent somatic modulators (70.7%). Audiologically, 73.1% of ST patients had normal hearing or mild sensorineural hearing loss. Despite relatively preserved hearing, most patients reported moderate to severe tinnitus handicap on THI, with no patients in the “no handicap” category. Somatosensory tinnitus constitutes a substantial proportion of tinnitus cases in routine ENT practice and frequently occurs in patients with normal or minimally impaired hearing yet significant tinnitus-related distress. Routine screening for somatosensory modulation is essential for accurate diagnosis and enables targeted multidisciplinary management, potentially improving patient outcomes.