The impact of hyperacusis and hearing loss on tinnitus perception in German teachers

Abstract

Recent research indicates that a notable number of teachers are concerned with conditions of auditory impairment such as tinnitus, hyperacusis, and hearing loss. Studies focussing on characteristics and interdependencies of single hearing disorders (HD) are rare. This explorative study examines tinnitus, hyperacusis, hearing loss, and all possible combinations (tinnitus + hyperacusis; tinnitus + hearing loss; hyperacusis + hearing loss; tinnitus, hyperacusis + hearing loss) in German teachers. The impact of single HD on perceived distress, depending on the number and kind of comorbid HD, was of special interest. Information was collected via online survey and includes self-reported data as well as data from the Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ). Results show that most of the 1468 participants (45%) suffered from two HD in different combinations, and the fewest (25%) were afflicted with only one HD. Considering the seven HD groups, most teachers (30%) suffered from all three HD. Across all groups, tinnitus was present in 1096, hyperacusis in 988, and hearing loss in 937 teachers. Multiple intergroup comparisons revealed that self-rated tinnitus-related distress rose significantly with the increasing number of HD. No significant differences were found for distress ratings of hyperacusis between the four groups including hyperacusis and between the four groups with hearing loss. In the Mini-TQ, groups including hyperacusis scored considerably higher than those excluding hyperacusis. The frequent prevalence of HD in German teachers points to a need of better noise prevention in German schools as one priority of occupational safety.

Gap-induced reductions of evoked potentials in the auditory cortex: A possible objective marker for the presence of tinnitus in animals

“…However, in the 105 dB GPs, these increases were evident in the absence of evidence of GIREP deficits, a possible indicator of tinnitus. If increases in EP amplitudes are assumed to be a correlate of hyperacusis, this therefore suggests two points: (1) that hyperacusis can occur without the presence of tinnitus, something which, although rarer, is sometimes reported in the human literature ( Jastreboff and Hazell, 1993 , Moliner Peiro et al, 2009 , Meuer and Hiller, 2015 ) and (2) hyperacusis may be induced at lower noise exposure levels than tinnitus. However, whilst we demonstrate GIREP deficits that may relate to tinnitus, it is important to note that there is no certainty that the tinnitus percept itself underlies these effects and, furthermore, there is controversy over whether animals may experience tinnitus or hyperacusis in the same way that humans do ( Eggermont, 2013 ).…”

Prevalence of Hyperacusis in the General and Special Populations: A Scoping Review

“…Although prevalence studies in different populations are helpful in identifying the epidemiological characteristics of hypreacusis, current studies are chaotic. Different studies have mentioned different prevalence in different populations (8)(9)(10)(11). A recent systematic review considering hyperacusis in the childhood and adolescence concluded that making comparisons was not possible at present (12).…”

How classroom acoustics influence students and teachers: A systematic literature review

“…Hyperacusis often coexists with tinnitus, which implies the perception of sound when no corresponding external sound exists. In the study held by Meuer and Hiller (2015), the conclusion that most teachers (30%) suffered from all three hearing diseases (i.e., hyperacusis, tinnitus and hearing loss). Preschool teachers are likely to suffer from hearing-related symptoms and some authors highlight the need of preventative measures (Fredriksson, Kim, Torén, Magnusson, Kähäri, Söderberg et al, 2019).…”