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Tinnitus and its relationship with muscle tenderness in patients with headache and facial pain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 June 2015

M Pezzoli ,
A Ugolini ,
E Rota ,
L Ferrero ,
C Milani ,
L Pezzoli ,
G Pecorari  and
F Mongini
M Pezzoli*
Affiliation:
ENT Division, University of Turin, Italy
A Ugolini
Affiliation:
Headache–Facial Pain Section, University of Turin, Italy
E Rota
Affiliation:
Headache–Facial Pain Section, University of Turin, Italy
L Ferrero
Affiliation:
Headache–Facial Pain Section, University of Turin, Italy
C Milani
Affiliation:
Headache–Facial Pain Section, University of Turin, Italy
L Pezzoli
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Turin, Italy
G Pecorari
Affiliation:
ENT Division, University of Turin, Italy
F Mongini
Affiliation:
Headache–Facial Pain Section, University of Turin, Italy
*
Address for correspondence: Dr M Pezzoli, 1st ENT Division, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Turin, Via Genova 3, Torino, Italy Fax: +39 011–5085109 E-mail: ma.pezzoli@libero.it
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Abstract

Objective:

This study aimed to examine tinnitus prevalence in patients with different types of headache and the relationship between tinnitus and the pericranial muscle tenderness and cervical muscle tenderness scores.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1251 patients with migraine and/or myogenous pain, arthrogenous temporomandibular joint disorders and tension-type headache. Standardised palpation of the pericranial and cervical muscles was carried out and univariable and multivariable analysis was used to measure the odds ratio of suffering tinnitus by the different diagnoses and muscular tenderness grade.

Results:

A univariable analysis showed that myogenous pain, pericranial muscle tenderness and cervical muscle tenderness scores, sex, and age were associated with tinnitus. When a multivariable model including only age, sex and a headache diagnosis was used, myogenous pain, migraine and age were found to be associated with tinnitus. When muscle tenderness scores were also included, only the cervical muscle tenderness and pericranial muscle tenderness scores were found to be significantly associated with tinnitus.

Conclusion:

In a population of patients with headache and craniofacial pain, tinnitus was related to increased cervical muscle tenderness and pericranial muscle tenderness scores, rather than to any particular form of headache.

Keywords

TinnitusFacial PainHeadacheTemporomandibular DisordersEpidemiology

Information

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 7 , July 2015 , pp. 638 - 643
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

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