Evaluation of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) Individuals with Tinnitus and Normal Hearing

Abstract

The aim the present study is to evaluate ocular and cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) of adult individuals with and without tinnitus who have normal hearing. Thirty one patients who have normal hearing, complaining about unilateral or bilateral subjective tinnitus and 30 volunteers who without tinnitus and vestibular complains were enrolled into the present study. Following examination by of Ear Nose Throat (ENT) physician, Tinnitus Disability Questionnaire (TDQ), pure tone audiometry (125-16.000 Hz) speech tests, oVEMP and cVEMP tests were applied to all participants. Fourteen individuals with normal hearing and tinnitus were male (44%) and 17 (56%) were female with an age average of 35.8 ± 10.2.30 years; the control group consisted of 16 males (53%) and 14 females (47%) with an age average of 37.5 ± 12 years. Two individuals of the tinnitus group had bilateral tinnitus and 29 individuals had unilateral tinnitus. A statistically significant difference in individuals without tinnitus and tinnitus must be normal at work between test answers that are not available 125-16000 Hz range Air Conduction (AC) hearing thresholds, speech tests, cVEMP and oVEMP responses. Tinnitus may appear due to many reasons. Vestibular system is one of the conditions that can cause tinnitus. According to the findings obtained from adult individuals with normal hearing, the vestibular system does not cause tinnitus.