Acute exacerbation of chronic subjective tinnitus: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: To analyze data from the tinnitus study that addresses the factors contributing to the acute exacerbation of chronic subjective tinnitus, and providing a comprehensive landscape of multiple factors action patterns on acute exacerbation of tinnitus.Methods: It reports data from patients with chronic subjective tinnitus, enabling a direct comparison of results between the stable stage of chronic tinnitus and the acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus samples. Participants had completed comprehensive audiometric testing and numerous questionnaires.Results: Results are presented from n=602 participants across the two sites, including 204 patients in the stable stage of tinnitus and 398 patients in acute exacerbation of tinnitus. The data reveal that: ①Acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus is affected by many factors, among them, aggravated hearing loss, fatigue, stress, disturbed sleep, negative emotion, upper respiratory tract infection, noise exposure, and abruptly changed barometric pressure may aggravate the tinnitus; ②Smoking, drink, and course of tinnitus are not risked factors for acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus; ③Comparison of the importance of the four factors induce acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus, fatigue and stress are the most important, then, in turn, negative emotions and sleep disorders.Conclusions: ①There were many incentives for acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus and multiple causes coexist under normal conditions. ②The prevention and prognosis management of acute exacerbation of chronic tinnitus should be approached from multiple dimensions, which includes biological, social support, patient psychology.Trial registration: Not applicable