Abstract
The tinnitus due to stapedial muscle contraction has been reported in few studies. Non-acoustic stapedial muscle contraction can be induced by several kinds of stimulation, or caused by pathological processes. The nature of the tinnitus due to stapedial muscle contraction, regardless of cause, has been reported as a low pitched blowing sound. The occurence rate of the tinnitus is controversial. We have already reported that the occurence rate of the tinnitus which was caused by facial neural palsy is low. In the present study, we have studied the occurence rate of the tinnitus caused by electrical stimualtion of the external meatus. We studied 30 healthy subjects, 22 facial palsy patients and 19 sensori neural hearing loss patients who complained of tinnitus. We conclude that the occurence rate of the tinnitus caused by the electrical stimulation was as low as the occurence rate of tinnitus caused by the associated abnormal movement of stapedial muscle during the course of recovery from facial palsy.
