Acoustic differences in tinnitus between noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss

Background: Tinnitus, the perception of sound without external stimuli, varies across hearing loss types. The present study compared the acoustic characteristics of tinnitus in patients with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and in those with hearing loss unrelated to noise exposure. Objective: This study compared the acoustic characteristics of tinnitus in patients with noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss. Methods: A total of 403 patients with tinnitus were divided into those with noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss. Patients were evaluated by pure tone audiometry (PTA), tinnitogram, transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) tests. Results: Patients with NIHL exhibited significantly higher hearing thresholds across all frequencies (125–8000 Hz) (p <.05) and reported significantly higher tinnitus intensity (p <.05). Otoacoustic emission tests showed that response rates were significantly lower (p <.05), and ABR tests found that latency periods were significantly more prolonged (p <.05), in patients with NIHL. Conclusions: Tinnitus differs acoustically between patients with NIHL and those with non-noise-induced hearing loss, with specific patterns of intensity and auditory responses. These findings emphasize the need for tailoring the management of tinnitus according to the underlying type of hearing loss.