Table 4.
Phenotypic characteristics for subjects with tinnitus with or without headache.
| Any Tinnitus | Tinnitus as a big problem | Severe tinnitus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headache (n = 660) No (%) | No Headache (n = 1879) No (%) | Headache (n = 125) No (%) | No Headache (n = 218) No (%) | Headache (n = 79) No (%) | No Headache (n = 119) No (%) | |
| Tinnitus onset | χ²(5) = 5.02, p = 0.414 (0.497) | χ²(5) = 1.31, p = 0.934 (0.946) | χ²(5) = 3.91, p = 0.562 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 71 (10.8) | 161 (8.6) | 3 (2.4) | 5 (2.3) | 2 (2.5) | 2 (1.7) |
| 0 to 6 months | 13 (2.0) | 39 (2.1) | 5 (4.0) | 8 (3.7) | 4 (5.1) | 5 (4.2) |
| 6 months to 3 years | 105 (15.9) | 265 (14.1) | 17 (13.6) | 37 (17.0) | 14 (17.7) | 24 (20.2) |
| 3 to 10 years | 183 (27.7) | 546 (29.1) | 32 (25.6) | 61 (28.0) | 21 (26.6) | 31 (26.1) |
| 10 to 20 years | 180 (27.3) | 559 (29.8) | 39 (31.2) | 64 (29.4) | 18 (22.8) | 38 (31.9) |
| More than 20 years | 108 (16.4) | 309 (16.4) | 29 (23.2) | 43 (19.7) | 20 (25.3) | 19 (16.0) |
| Onset-related events | χ²(6) = 19.68, p = 0.003 (0.006) | χ²(6) = 8.52, p = 0.203 (0.405) | χ²(6) = 2.26, p = 0.894 (0.919) | |||
| Loud blast of sound | 224 (33.9) | 759 (40.4) | 35 (28) | 71 (32.6) | 23 (29.1) | 33 (27.7) |
| Stress | 117 (17.7) | 244 (13) | 21 (16.8) | 35 (16.1) | 12 (15.2) | 23 (19.3) |
| Change in hearing | 41 (6.2) | 93 (5.0) | 16 (12.8) | 19 (8.7) | 10 (12.7) | 10 (8.4) |
| Head trauma | 6 (0.9) | 15 (0.8) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (0.9) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.8) |
| Whiplash | 10 (1.5) | 11 (0.6) | 4 (3.2) | 1 (0.5) | 1 (1.3) | 1 (0.8) |
| Other | 90 (13.6) | 261 (13.9) | 20 (16) | 46 (21.1) | 17 (21.5) | 24 (20.2) |
| Don’t know | 172 (26.1) | 496 (26.4) | 29 (23.2) | 44 (20.2) | 16 (20.3) | 27 (22.7) |
| Tinnitus occurrence | χ²(1) = 3.15, p = 0.076 (0.104) | χ²(1) = 4.98, p = 0.026 (0.086) | χ²(1) = 0.01, p = 0.913 (0.919) | |||
| Occasionally (now and then) | 308 (46.7) | 802 (42.7) | 17 (13.6) | 14 (6.4) | 5 (6.3) | 8 (6.7) |
| Always (all the time) | 352 (53.3) | 1077 (57.3) | 108 (86.4) | 204 (93.6) | 74 (93.7) | 111 (93.3) |
| Time of the day of tinnitus emergence | χ²(6) = 13.8, p = 0.032 (0.05) | χ²(6) = 4.71, p = 0.581 (0.758) | χ²(6) = 3.05, p = 0.802 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 350 (53) | 1012 (53.9) | 51 (40.8) | 85 (39) | 28 (35.4) | 35 (29.4) |
| When awakening | 34 (5.2) | 123 (6.6) | 14 (11.2) | 31 (14.2) | 13 (16.5) | 22 (18.5) |
| In the morning | 12 (1.8) | 35 (1.9) | 6 (4.8) | 5 (2.3) | 3 (3.8) | 4 (3.4) |
| Around noon | 37 (5.6) | 125 (6.7) | 12 (9.6) | 24 (11.0) | 9 (11.4) | 16 (13.5) |
| In the afternoon | 31 (4.7) | 93 (5.0) | 7 (5.6) | 19 (8.7) | 6 (7.6) | 16 (13.5) |
| In the evening | 71 (10.8) | 238 (12.7) | 21 (16.8) | 38 (17.4) | 15 (19.0) | 17 (14.3) |
| Before sleeping | 125 (18.9) | 253 (13.5) | 14 (11.2) | 16 (7.3) | 5 (6.3) | 9 (7.6) |
| Perceiving the onset of tinnitus | χ²(2) = 6.12, p = 0.047 (0.067) | χ²(2) = 0.59, p = 0.744 (0.88) | χ²(2) = 0.23, p = 0.891 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 164 (24.9) | 494 (26.3) | 14 (11.2) | 22 (10.1) | 6 (7.6) | 7 (5.9) |
| Gradual | 313 (47.4) | 790 (42.0) | 55 (44.0) | 89 (40.8) | 29 (36.7) | 45 (37.8) |
| Abrupt | 183 (27.7) | 595 (31.7) | 56 (44.8) | 107 (49.1) | 44 (55.7) | 67 (56.3) |
| Pulsatility | χ²(3) = 22.44, p < 0.0001 (0.0001) | χ²(3) = 12.08, p = 0.007 (0.03) | χ²(3) = 5.21, p = 0.157 (0.485) | |||
| Don’t know | 77 (11.7) | 138 (7.3) | 20 (16.0) | 22 (10.1) | 5 (6.3) | 14 (11.8) |
| Yes, with heart beat | 56 (8.5) | 124 (6.6) | 19 (15.2) | 17 (7.8) | 14 (17.7) | 10 (8.4) |
| Yes, different from heart beat | 35 (5.3) | 62 (3.3) | 15 (12.0) | 16 (7.3) | 10 (12.7) | 13 (10.9) |
| No | 492 (74.6) | 1555 (82.8) | 71 (56.8) | 163 (74.8) | 50 (63.3) | 82 (68.9) |
| Location of tinnitus | χ²(6) = 13.58, p = 0.035 (0.052) | χ²(6) = 4.84, p = 0.565 (0.758) | χ²(6) = 4.97, p = 0.548 (0.919) | |||
| Right ear | 50 (7.6) | 147 (7.8) | 10 (8.0) | 22 (10.1) | 6 (7.6) | 11 (9.2) |
| Left ear | 45 (6.8) | 179 (9.5) | 14 (11.2) | 15 (6.9) | 13 (16.5) | 10 (8.4) |
| Both ears, worse in right | 141 (21.4) | 305 (16.2) | 24 (19.2) | 35 (16.1) | 13 (16.5) | 24 (20.2) |
| Both ears, worse in left | 110 (16.7) | 316 (16.8) | 21 (16.8) | 49 (22.5) | 15 (19) | 27 (22.7) |
| Both ears equally | 197 (29.9) | 622 (33.1) | 32 (25.6) | 51 (23.4) | 15 (19) | 20 (16.8) |
| Inside the head | 108 (16.4) | 289 (15.4) | 19 (15.2) | 40 (18.4) | 12 (15.2) | 23 (19.3) |
| Elsewhere | 9 (1.4) | 21 (1.1) | 5 (4.0) | 6 (2.8) | 5 (6.3) | 4 (3.4) |
| Sound of tinnitus | χ²(9) = 27.04, p = 0.001 (0.003) | χ²(7) = 22.48, p = 0.002 (0.013) | χ²(7) = 14.21, p = 0.048 (0.204) | |||
| Tone | 123 (18.9) | 414 (22.2) | 13 (10.7) | 21 (9.7) | 10 (13) | 12 (10.3) |
| Noise | 65 (10.0) | 217 (11.6) | 9 (7.4) | 26 (12.0) | 7 (9.1) | 9 (7.7) |
| Crickets | 18 (2.8) | 71 (3.8) | 2 (1.6) | 7 (3.2) | 2 (2.6) | 5 (4.3) |
| Heartbeat | 5 (0.8) | 6 (0.3) | 1 (0.8) | 1 (0.5) | 2 (2.6) | 0 (0.0) |
| Beeping | 67 (10.3) | 233 (12.5) | 6 (4.9) | 34 (15.7) | 4 (5.2) | 17 (14.5) |
| Morse Code | 0 (0.0) | 4 (0.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| An alarm | 9 (1.4) | 11 (0.6) | 4 (3.3) | 2 (0.9) | 3 (3.9) | 2 (1.7) |
| Other | 11 (1.7) | 62 (3.3) | 1 (0.8) | 13 (6) | 1 (1.3) | 11 (9.4) |
| Don’t know | 1 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Complex | 352 (54.1) | 848 (45.4) | 86 (70.5) | 112 (51.9) | 48 (62.3) | 61 (52.1) |
| Tinnitus loudness variation from day to day | χ²(5) = 23.14, p = 0 (0.001) | χ²(5) = 3.53, p = 0.62 (0.775) | χ²(5) = 4.41, p = 0.493 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 36 (5.5) | 127 (6.8) | 4 (3.2) | 6 (2.8) | 1 (1.3) | 2 (1.7) |
| Never | 38 (5.8) | 154 (8.2) | 10 (8.0) | 18 (8.3) | 6 (7.6) | 6 (5.0) |
| Seldom | 79 (12.0) | 301 (16.0) | 19 (15.2) | 35 (16.1) | 11 (13.9) | 14 (11.8) |
| Sometimes | 241 (36.5) | 710 (37.8) | 45 (36.0) | 94 (43.1) | 27 (34.2) | 54 (45.4) |
| Often | 186 (28.2) | 397 (21.1) | 30 (24.0) | 47 (21.6) | 19 (24.1) | 30 (25.2) |
| Always | 80 (12.1) | 190 (10.1) | 17 (13.6) | 18 (8.3) | 15 (19) | 13 (10.9) |
| Pitch of tinnitus | χ²(4) = 0.12, p = 0.998 (0.998) | χ²(4) = 1.74, p = 0.783 (0.88) | χ²(4) = 2.55, p = 0.636 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 27 (4.1) | 72 (3.8) | 4 (3.2) | 5 (2.3) | 2 (2.5) | 3 (2.5) |
| Very high frequency | 157 (23.8) | 450 (24.0) | 39 (31.2) | 64 (29.4) | 30 (38.0) | 38 (31.9) |
| High frequency | 293 (44.4) | 838 (44.6) | 54 (43.2) | 101 (46.3) | 30 (38.0) | 47 (39.5) |
| Medium frequency | 128 (19.4) | 366 (19.5) | 24 (19.2) | 36 (16.5) | 14 (17.7) | 20 (16.8) |
| Low frequency | 55 (8.3) | 153 (8.1) | 4 (3.2) | 12 (5.5) | 3 (3.8) | 11 (9.2) |
| Reduction of tinnitus by music or environmental sounds | χ²(2) = 0.48, p = 0.787 (0.827) | χ²(2) = 2.02, p = 0.364 (0.682) | χ²(2) = 6.16, p = 0.046 (0.204) | |||
| Don’t know | 171 (25.9) | 470 (25.0) | 23 (18.4) | 29 (13.3) | 15 (19) | 10 (8.4) |
| Yes | 367 (55.6) | 1074 (57.2) | 68 (54.4) | 133 (61.0) | 45 (57.0) | 67 (56.3) |
| No | 122 (18.5) | 335 (17.8) | 34 (27.2) | 56 (25.7) | 19 (24.1) | 42 (35.3) |
| Worsening of tinnitus by loud noise | χ²(2) = 14.57, p = 0.001 (0.002) | χ²(2) = 1.36, p = 0.506 (0.758) | χ²(2) = 0.7, p = 0.703 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 181 (27.4) | 525 (27.9) | 30 (24.0) | 47 (21.6) | 21 (26.6) | 27 (22.7) |
| Yes | 357 (54.1) | 881 (46.9) | 77 (61.6) | 129 (59.2) | 47 (59.5) | 71 (59.7) |
| No | 122 (18.5) | 473 (25.2) | 18 (14.4) | 42 (19.3) | 11 (13.9) | 21 (17.7) |
| Tinnitus affected by head movement or touch | χ²(2) = 38.19, p < 0.0001 (0.0001) | χ²(2) = 6.91, p = 0.032 (0.095) | χ²(2) = 0.8, p = 0.67 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 157 (23.8) | 361 (19.2) | 15 (12.0) | 35 (16.1) | 8 (10.1) | 12 (10.1) |
| Yes | 210 (31.8) | 426 (22.7) | 61 (48.8) | 75 (34.4) | 42 (53.2) | 56 (47.1) |
| No | 293 (44.4) | 1092 (58.1) | 49 (39.2) | 108 (49.5) | 29 (36.7) | 51 (42.9) |
| Tinnitus affected by nap | χ²(3) = 9.61, p = 0.022 (0.037) | χ²(3) = 1.99, p = 0.574 (0.758) | χ²(3) = 0.5, p = 0.919 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 373 (56.5) | 1068 (56.8) | 43 (34.4) | 88 (40.4) | 25 (31.7) | 42 (35.3) |
| It mainly worsens my tinnitus | 15 (2.3) | 38 (2.0) | 7 (5.6) | 16 (7.3) | 8 (10.1) | 12 (10.1) |
| It mainly reduces my tinnitus | 199 (30.2) | 633 (33.7) | 62 (49.6) | 93 (42.7) | 39 (49.4) | 53 (44.5) |
| It has no effect | 73 (11.1) | 140 (7.5) | 13 (10.4) | 21 (9.6) | 7 (8.9) | 12 (10.1) |
| Tinnitus affected by bad nights sleep | χ²(5) = 51.73, p < 0.0001 (0.0001) | χ²(5) = 7.62, p = 0.179 (0.383) | χ²(5) = 6.29, p = 0.279 (0.76) | |||
| Don’t know | 257 (38.9) | 704 (37.5) | 25 (20) | 42 (19.3) | 14 (17.7) | 15 (12.6) |
| Never | 53 (8) | 315 (16.8) | 6 (4.8) | 24 (11.0) | 3 (3.8) | 10 (8.4) |
| Seldom | 43 (6.5) | 154 (8.2) | 9 (7.2) | 20 (9.2) | 6 (7.6) | 12 (10.1) |
| Sometimes | 145 (22) | 419 (22.3) | 28 (22.4) | 58 (26.6) | 14 (17.7) | 33 (27.7) |
| Often | 122 (18.5) | 221 (11.8) | 39 (31.2) | 54 (24.8) | 27 (34.2) | 33 (27.7) |
| Always | 40 (6.1) | 66 (3.5) | 18 (14.4) | 20 (9.2) | 15 (19) | 16 (13.5) |
| Tinnitus affected by stress | χ²(3) = 69.4, p < 0.0001 (0.0001) | χ²(2) = 7.5, p = 0.024 (0.086) | χ²(2) = 1.43, p = 0.491 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 211 (32) | 677 (36) | 23 (18.4) | 50 (22.9) | 12 (15.2) | 20 (16.8) |
| Yes, it worsens my tinnitus | 369 (55.9) | 738 (39.3) | 90 (72) | 127 (58.3) | 62 (78.5) | 86 (72.3) |
| Yes, it reduces my tinnitus | 79 (12) | 460 (24.5) | 12 (9.6) | 41 (18.8) | 5 (6.3) | 13 (10.9) |
| No, it has no effect | 1 (0.2) | 4 (0.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Tinnitus affected by medication | χ²(2) = 0.95, p = 0.623 (0.692) | χ²(2) = 0.11, p = 0.946 (0.946) | χ²(2) = 0.32, p = 0.854 (0.919) | |||
| Don’t know | 482 (73) | 1380 (73.4) | 83 (66.4) | 141 (64.7) | 46 (58.2) | 74 (62.2) |
| Yes | 20 (3.0) | 44 (2.3) | 9 (7.2) | 16 (7.3) | 9 (11.4) | 12 (10.1) |
| No | 158 (23.9) | 455 (24.2) | 33 (26.4) | 61 (28.0) | 24 (30.4) | 33 (27.7) |
| Contacted a clinician due to tinnitus | χ²(2) = 1.14, p = 0.566 (0.653) | χ²(2) = 1.88, p = 0.391 (0.69) | χ²(2) = 0.18, p = 0.916 (0.919) | |||
| No | 415 (62.9) | 1209 (64.3) | 32 (25.6) | 43 (19.7) | 11 (13.9) | 17 (14.3) |
| Yes, because of curiosity | 32 (4.9) | 102 (5.4) | 3 (2.4) | 8 (3.7) | 2 (2.5) | 2 (1.7) |
| Yes, because I sought for help | 213 (32.3) | 568 (30.2) | 90 (72.0) | 167 (76.6) | 66 (83.5) | 100 (84.0) |
| Number of tinnitus treatments | χ²(3) = 3.18, p = 0.365 (0.456) | χ²(3) = 0.83, p = 0.842 (0.902) | χ²(3) = 2.29, p = 0.514 (0.919) | |||
| None | 563 (85.3) | 1651 (87.9) | 80 (64) | 134 (61.5) | 42 (53.2) | 61 (51.3) |
| 1 | 41 (6.2) | 96 (5.1) | 17 (13.6) | 30 (13.8) | 14 (17.7) | 17 (14.3) |
| 2–4 | 42 (6.4) | 94 (5.0) | 19 (15.2) | 32 (14.7) | 16 (20.3) | 22 (18.5) |
| 5 or more | 14 (2.1) | 38 (2.0) | 9 (7.2) | 22 (10.1) | 7 (8.9) | 19 (16) |
| Tinnitus occurence in family | χ²(1) = 5.64, p = 0.018 (0.031) | χ²(1) = 0.52, p = 0.471 (0.744) | χ²(1) = 0.05, p = 0.832 (0.919) | |||
| No | 518 (78.5) | 1553 (82.7) | 89 (71.2) | 163 (74.8) | 56 (70.9) | 86 (72.3) |
| Yes | 142 (21.5) | 326 (17.4) | 36 (28.8) | 55 (25.2) | 23 (29.1) | 33 (27.7) |
Pairwise comparisons using Pearson’s Chi-square test are reported. Percentages (%) displayed refer to column percentages. P values adjusted for multiple comparisons are shown between parenthesis. Estimates in bold are statistically significant at 0.05 level.