title: [The analysis of masking therapy in the early stage of the patients with noise-induced tinnitus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of masking therapy for the early stage of the patients with noise-induced tinnitus,and imply the treatment for patients with noise-induced tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight cases with tinnitus were studied. All the patients took the audiological examinations and tinnitus tests firstly, and accepted the masking therapy for 6 months. The therapeutic effiency was evaluated according to tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and subjective visual-analogue scale (VAS). The minimum masking intensity was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the patients with noise-induced tinnitus (59 cases, 86. 8%) had tinnitus frequency of 4 kHz,and most of them (44 cases, 64. 7%) had positive residual inhibition tests. Tinnitus completely disappeared in 3 cases after masking therapy, and the efficiency of this treatment is 83. 8%. There was significant difference in the scores of THI and VAS before and after therapy(P<0. 01), and there was also significant difference in the minimum masking intensity (P<0. 01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Masking therapy is the most important treatment for the patients in the early stage of noise-induced tinnitus. The therapeutic effiency is significant and should be promoted.
authors.forename: Hongsheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Xiangning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Chufeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*