Abstract
We investigated 478 ears with tinnitus and sensorineural deafness and tinnitus without hearing loss. The relationship of type of deafness with tone, intensity, and frequency of tinnitus were studied. 1) In many cases, tinnitus was found in either the low-frequency range or the high-frequency range. 2) Patients were asked to describe their tinnitus using vowel sounds. In most cases, the low frequency range was described with the vowels (u) or (o), the middle frequency with (a), and the high frequency with (i). 3) Many patients described their tinnitus as a pure tone. 4) The intensity of tinnitus was usually within 10 dB H. L. 5) Patients with sensorineural deafness expressed their high frequency tinnitus as an (i) sound. The frequency of the tinnitus corresponded well with the frequency of their maximum hearing loss. 6) Patients with sudden deafness had hearing loss in the middle frequency range, and the tinnitus was described as an (a) sound. The frequency of the tinnitus and the frequency of the maximum hearing loss did not match well. 7) In many cases, patients with tinnitus but without hearing loss described their tinnitus as either high or low frequency. Various vowels were chosen to describe their tinnitus.
