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.