Tinnitus is a common and often perplexing problem in neurosurgical patients, and post-traumatic tinnitus is the type most often encountered. To put the magnitude of the problem in perspective, it should be noted that neurosurgeons in the United States treat approximately 10,000 to 20,000 patients with brain tumors each year, whereas approximately 500,000 patients with severe head injuries are treated each year. The incidence of tinnitus in association with head injuries is variable, from 5 to 35 per cent in reported series, and in our own experience tends toward the lower percentage. Even using the 5 per cent figure it is apparent that U.S. neurosurgeons see more patients with tinnitus in a year than they do patients with brain tumors.

The post-traumatic tinnitus is usually high-pitched, associated with impaired hearing, and frequently related to temporal-bone injury. Often this is a self-limiting problem. At times there is a question as to whether or not the tinnitus actually disappears, or the patient no longer seeks medical attention.