Tinnitus prevalence in industrial hearing loss compensation claimants

In a study of 3466 claimants for noise-induced occupational hearing loss tinnitus was reported by half of the patients. Its characteristics in this select group were different from tinnitus seen in other groups. Specifically, tinnitus prevalence seemed to be independent of age, state of hearing and duration of noise exposure if greater than 10 years. The reasons for these differences are unclear, though the possibility of financial motivation by some claimants is raised. Further work in this area is urgently required to achieve standardization and objectivity. Being a subjective complaint these aims will be difficult to accomplish. However not until then can a fair handicap scale be developed for workers who develop this disquieting symptom as a result of their occupation.