[Illness behavior and depression in tinnitus patients]

Tinnitus patients often complain of psychosomatic disorders and of problems in social life. We intended to prove the modulation of tinnitus perception by psychosocial factors. We examined 48 tinnitus patients, 35 with and 13 without hearing loss. A control group of 48 patients without tinnitus, without hearing disorder and without tumor disease was adapted to correspond to the tinnitus group in respect of age, sex and social factors. A quantitative assessment of complaints as well as of the intensity of depression was made via questionaires (Giessener Beschwerdebogen and Beck Depression Inventory). In tinnitus patients, we found a statistically significantly higher degree of complaints even for non-otological symptoms. They were statistically more depressive than the controls, but less than patients with endogenic depression usually are. Nevertheless, in tinnitus patients it seems to be reasonable to inquire after general symptoms of illness to assess whether cooperation with a psychiatrist is required before initiating somatic treatment.