Skip to main content
Log in

Somatoform disorders in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the correlation of psychiatric disorders with tinnitus and tinnitus handicap scores. A total of 30 patients and 30 otherwise healthy people were enrolled for the study. Somatoform disorder questionnaire SDQ-20 was filled in by both the study and the control group. Tinnitus handicap scores were filled in study group. Tinnitus handicap scores were 28.1 ± 19.8, and somatoform disorder questionnaire scores were 30.5 ± 7.3 in the tinnitus group. In the control group the somatoform disorder questionnaire scores were 25.4 ± 4.6. (1) We found a statistically significant difference between somatoform disorder questionnaire scores between groups (p < 0.05). (2) There was a statistically significant difference between tinnitus handicap scores and somatoform disorder questionnaire scores in study group (p = 0.0). The correlation between these tests was positively strong (R = 0.782). (3) There was no statistical difference between genders. We recommend investigating patients with long-lasting tinnitus for psychiatric comorbidity in relation to somatoform disorders in cooperation with psychiatric clinics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nemholt SS, Schmidt JH, Wedderkopp N, Baguley DM (2015) Prevalence of tinnitus and/or hyperacusis in children and adolescents: study protocol for a systematic review. BMJ Open 5(1):e006649. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006649

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Martinez C, Wallenhorst C, McFerran D, Hall DA (2015) Incidence rates of clinically significant tinnitus: 10-year trend from a cohort study in England. Ear Hear 36(3):69–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Pattyn T, Van Den Eede F, Vanneste S, Cassiers L, Veltman DJ, Van De Heyning P, Sabbe BC (2015) Tinnitus and anxiety disorders: a review. Hear Res doi:10.1016/j.heares.2015.08.014. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 26342399

  4. Khundadze M, Mkheidze R, Geladze N, Bakhtadze S, Khachapuridze N (2015) The causes and symptoms of somatoform disorders in children. Georgian Med News 246:59–65

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Nilsson D, Lejonclou A, Svedin CG, Jonsson M, Holmqvist R (2015) Somatoform dissociation among Swedish adolescents and young adults: the psychometric properties of the Swedish versions of the SDQ-20 and SDQ-5. Nord J Psychiatry 69(2):152–156

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Aksoy S, Firat Y, Alpar R (2007) The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory: a study of validity and reliability. Int Tinnitus J 13(2):94–98

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Heller AJ (2003) Classification and epidemiology of tinnitus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 36(2):239–248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Newman CW, Jacobson GP, Spitzer JB (1996) Development of the tinnitus handicap inventory. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 122(2):143–148

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Marciano E, Carrabba L, Giannini P et al (2003) Psychiatric comorbidity in a population of outpatients affected by tinnitus. Int J Audiol 42(1):4–9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kroenke K (2007) Efficacy of treatment for somatoform disorders: a review of randomized controlled trials. Psychosom Med 69(9):881–888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Folmer RL, Griest SE, Martin WH (2008) Obsessive-compulsiveness in a population of tinnitus patients. Int Tinnitus J 14(2):127–130

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Salviati M, Bersani FS, Terlizzi S, Melcore C, Panico R, Romano GF, Valeriani G, Macrì F, Altissimi G, Mazzei F, Testugini V, Latini L, Delle Chiaie R, Biondi M, Cianfrone G (2014) Tinnitus: clinical experience of the psychosomatic connection. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 10(10):267–275

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Zirke N, Goebel G, Mazurek B (2010) Tinnitus and psychological comorbidities. HNO 58(7):726–732

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Michel O, Brusis T (2008) Compensation for somatoform (psychogenic) tinnitus in private accident insurance. Laryngorhinootologie 87(7):477–481

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Harrop-Griffiths J, Katon W, Dobie R, Sakai C, Russo J (1987) Chronic tinnitus: association with psychiatric diagnoses. J Psychosom Res 31(5):613–621

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Belli S, Belli H, Bahcebasi T, Ozcetin A, Alpay E, Ertem U (2008) Assessment of psychopathological aspects and psychiatric comorbidities in patients affected by tinnitus. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 265(3):279–285

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Folmer RL, Griest SE, Meikle MB, Martin WH (1999) Tinnitus severity, loudness, and depression. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 121(1):48–51

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. McCormack A, Edmondson-Jones M, Fortnum H, Dawes PD, Middleton H, Munro KJ, Moore DR (2015) Investigating the association between tinnitus severity and symptoms of depression and anxiety, while controlling for neuroticism, in a large middle-aged UK population. Int J Audiol 54(9):599–604

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Bauch CD, Lynn SG, Williams DE, Mellon MW, Weaver AL (2003) Tinnitus impact: three different measurement tools. J Am Acad Audiol 14(4):181–187

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Horner KC (2003) The emotional ear in stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 27(5):437–446

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Schaaf H, Flohre S, Hesse G, Gieler U (2014) Chronic stress as an influencing factor in tinnitus patients. HNO 62(2):108–114

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caner Sahin.

Ethics declarations

Funding

This study was funded by writer Caner Sahin.

Conflict of interest

We have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sahin, C., Aras, H.İ. & Yilmaz, M.S. Somatoform disorders in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 273, 3603–3607 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-3968-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-3968-7

Keywords

Navigation