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Relationship between headaches and tinnitus in a Swedish study.
Alessandra Lugo1, Niklas K Edvall2, Andra Lazar3
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
Scientific Reports
|May 24, 2020
Summary
Headaches are strongly linked to tinnitus, increasing its severity and distress. This suggests headaches may play a role in tinnitus development and impact, highlighting a potential target for treatment.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Tinnitus heterogeneity complicates effective treatment.
- The relationship between headaches and tinnitus is not well understood.
- Investigating headache's impact on tinnitus is crucial for understanding its varied presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between headaches and tinnitus.
- To explore phenotypic characteristics of tinnitus patients with and without headaches.
- To understand how headaches influence tinnitus severity and patient experience.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study using data from the Swedish Tinnitus Outreach Project.
- Multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess associations.
- Comparison of phenotypic characteristics between tinnitus patients with and without headaches.
Main Results:
- Headache significantly associated with any tinnitus (OR=2.61).
- Headache strongly linked to tinnitus being a major problem (OR=5.63) or severe (OR=4.99).
- 26% of tinnitus patients reported headaches, rising to 40% in severe tinnitus cases.
Conclusions:
- Headaches are associated with increased tinnitus distress and severity.
- Phenotypic, socioeconomic, and psychological differences exist between tinnitus patients with and without headaches.
- Headaches may contribute to tinnitus distress and severity, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.
