Influence of Head and Neck Muscle Contraction on Tinnitus / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tinnitus can be classified into two types, otogenic and somatic tinnitus. Somatic tinnitus can occur even when the ear is normal, as it is known that tinnitus can occur after there is movement in the muscles of the head and neck. This study aims to characterize tinnitus and clarify the nature of tinnitus when it occurs from the contraction of the head and neck muscle. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Thirty-five people with normal hearing, who had no history of otitis media or inner ear disease, were taken as subjects. First, we investigated whether the natural tinnitus occurred or not in the silent environment and checked its characteristics for five minutes. We then implemented eight different kinds of muscle contractions maneuver and measured whether the tinnitus occurred and the recorded the onset time, duration and location of the occurrence of the tinnitus. RESULTS: Among the total of 35 subjects inspected, 15 (42.9%) people felt the natural tinnitus. In terms of natural tinnitus, ringing was the most common characteristic and heard most often from both sides. Twenty (57.1%) subjects out of total 35 subjects inspected felt tinnitus after the contraction of the head and neck muscles. Tinnitus after the resistance to a force applied by the people to the occiput was the most common for 14 (40.0%) people, followed by parietal and right temporal area. The most common location was the left side for 6 (17.1%) subjects followed by right side and both sides. For the type of tinnitus after the contraction of muscles, ringing was observed the most by 6 (17.1%) subjects, followed by high frequency and pulsatile sound. The average onset time of the tinnitus was 8.8 seconds and the average duration was 29.6 seconds. CONCLUSION: The study showed that the muscle contraction of head and neck affects the occurrence of tinnitus for people who had no tinnitus. By clarifying the occurrence of tinnitus due to the contraction of muscles, the study identified the basic features of hearing and the role of the somatic tinnitus.