ABSTRACT
Purpose
To assess the degree of annoyance of tinnitus through the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and correlate it with the perception of speech using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) before and after the fitting of a hearing aid (HA).
Methods
There were 27 patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, continuous bilateral tinnitus (minimum six months) without experience of amplification. The subjects answered the anamnesis, the THI questionnaire, underwent a HINT, were fitted with hearing aids, and were again evaluated after three months. The results were statistically analyzed.
Results
Pre and post THI adaptation of hearing aids indicated benefits from amplification in relation to decreased sensation of tinnitus. The pre and post HINT adaptation of hearing aids presented a significant difference. There were differences in the correlation between the THI and HINT before the fitting of the hearing aids.
Conclusion
There was an improvement in the degree of tinnitus annoyance after the fitting of the hearing aids. There was no significant correlation between speech perception before and after the use of hearing aids.
Clinical trials: 394
Tinnitus; Hearing loss; Hearing aid; Speech perception; Adult