An unusual case of cervicofacial actinomycosis presenting as acute upper airway obstruction and demanding urgent tracheostomy is reported. Diagnosis was established by microscopic examination of the pus and culture of Actinomyces israelii. Repeated surgical drainage of the purulent foci and prolonged treatment with penicillin obtained resolution of the disease. Clinicians dealing with acute head and neck swellings should always consider actinomycosis as a possible diagnosis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Greek version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. Method: Eighty-six adult patients with chronic tinnitus participated in the study. Sociodemographic data and medical history were recorded during the interview. The patients underwent audiological examination and they were asked to fill in three questionnaires: the Greek version of the THI (THI-GR), the Greek version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the brief Tinnitus Severity Scale Questionnaire (TSSQ). Results: The THI-GR showed good internal consistency, comparable to the original version. Cronbach’s alpha was equal to 0.92, which suggests a robust reliability. All THI-GR subscales along with total score were significantly and positively correlated with the TSSQ grade and the audiogram results indicating the existence of convergent validity. Furthermore, THI-GR's subscales were significantly correlated with both State and Trait subscales, which indicates a correlation between tinnitus and stress. Conclusions: This study highlighted the high reliability and validity of the THI-GR as a self-report measure for the evaluation of tinnitus-related annoyance and psychological distress in clinical practice.