Another article (from another team) about typewritter tinnitus found today :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28878303
Typewriter tinnitus revisited: The typical symptoms and the initial response to carbamazepine are the most reliable diagnostic clues.
Sunwoo W1,
Jeon YJ2,
Bae YJ3,
Jang JH4,
Koo JW2,
Song JJ5.
Author information
1
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
2
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
3
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
4
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea.
5
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
jjsong96@gmail.com.
Abstract
Although neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve (NVC-C) presenting as typewriter tinnitus is a discrete disease category, verified diagnostic criteria are lacking. We sought to refine the diagnostic criteria for NVC-C by reference to a relatively large case series. The medical records of 22 NVC-C patients were retrospectively reviewed. Psychoacoustic characteristics, the results of diagnostic work-up (including audiovestibular neurophysiological tests and radiological evaluations), and the initial treatment response to carbamazepine were investigated. All subjects described their tinnitus as a typical "typewriter" or "staccato" sound. Of the 22 subjects, 11 (50%) had histories of vertiginous spells, but none had ipsilesional hearing loss. Vestibular function tests in 11 subjects tested revealed only 2 (18.2%) isolated cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential abnormalities. Radiological comparisons of the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides, regarding the type of the vascular loop and neurovascular contact, revealed no significant differences. However, all 22 subjects exhibited immediate and marked responses to short-term carbamazepine treatment. Meticulous history-taking in terms of the psychoacoustic characteristics and the response to initial carbamazepine, are more reliable diagnostic clues than are radiological or neurophysiological data in NVC-C subjects. Therefore, the typical psychoacoustic characteristics and the response to initial carbamazepine should be included in the diagnostic criteria.
PMID: 28878303
DOI:
10.1038/s41598-017-10798-w