Zumbido: estudo do grau de incômodo e relação com a localização do sintoma

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ear or head in the absence of external sounds. The appearance of this symptom may be abrupt or 5 gradual and may have major repercussions on patients' lives. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the annoyance caused by tinnitus as to laterality. MATERIAL AND METHOD: It is a retrospective and cross-sectional documentary study in which 125 patients participated, 79 of the female gender and 46 of the male gender, subdivided into three groups regarding the tinnitus laterality. Group I was composed of 53 patients with unilateral tinnitus, group II with 58 patients with bilateral tinnitus and group III with 14 patients with tinnitus in the head. A database was formed with the responses regarding the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory; visual analogue scale and trait state anxiety inventory (IDATE). The results were analyzed through the R-Project program version 3.3.3., the student's t-test and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test were performed. RESULTS: The majority of patients (46%) presented bilateral tinnitus, affecting mainly the female gender. Concerning the degree of discomfort, all groups presented grade 3 (moderate-THI), being significant for group III (p = 0.41) and group II (p = 0.46). In the EVA, the 10-point (fashion) score was observed, with a higher occurrence in group II (p=0.42). The anxiety trait was higher for group II. CONCLUSION: Patients with bilateral tinnitus have more frequent and severe discomfort than those with unilateral tinnitus and headache.