بررسی ویژگی های وزوز گوش در بیماران مراجعه کننده به درمانگاه گوش و حلق و بینی بیمارستان بوعلی سینا ساری در سال

Background and purpose: Tinnitis is one of the most common cause of complaints among patients, who referred to otolaryngology clinics. This study has been performed to analyze the characteristics of patients referred to ËNT Çliniccs of Boo Âli Sina hospital in Sari in 1998. Materials and methods: This descriplive study was done in about a year. The demographic characteristics of the patients were documented and disgnostic tests with audiometer (ÔB-822) were done. Patients were given a symptomatic or a specific treatment. Results: Total number of patients were 2052. out of which 143 of them (7%) had a main complaint of tinnitis and were taken under consideration. Âmong the patients with tinnitis 61% were males and 39% were females, 74% were city dwellers and the rest were villagers. The age of the patients varied from 19 to 80 years and most of them were between 25-45 (63%). Âll patients had a subjective tinnitis. 49% of them had pure tone tinnitis and 21% of them had noise tinnitis, 2% had both kinds of tinnitis and another 2% had pulsing tinnitis. 6% of patients Çould not adjust themselves to any kind of sound waves. Ïn 65% of the patients the frequency of tinnitis was higher than 2000 hertz and in 16% lower than 2000 hertz. 2% of Çases had white noise and 1.4% Speech noise tinnitis and in the rest of the cases tinnitis frequency was variable or unadjustable with the presented frequencies. The loudness of tinnitis in 51% was more than 5 decibel and in 2.8% was variable. Most of the cases had tinnitis in their both ears (38%). Ïn 78% of cases, the impairment of hearing was sensory-neural type, in which 36% had impairment in low frequency, 2% in high frequency and the rest in all frequencies. 8% of the impairments were transitional and 6% were interactive. The impairment of hearing in 69% of the cases was mild and in 2% was severe. The occupation of the patients, in women were house wives and in men 29% clerks and 13% farmers. 10% of the men were veterans of Ïran-Ïraq war and 8% of them had an experience of working in factories. 10% of the cases were smokers and all were males. Çonclusion: Ïn this study, it was determined that gender has no effect on loudness of tinnitis, kind of tinnitis and direction of tinnitis. Kind of tinnitis is related to the frequency of tinnitis because tonal tinnitis is lower as compare to noise tinnitis. The prevalence of tinnitis is related to occupation and sex of individual, thereby it is wise to avoid unnecessary sounds and noises. Âlso workers and people who are exposed to noise, should be educated and learn the necessary safety precautions.