[A clinical screening tool for potential somatosensory tinnitus designed for otorhinolaryngologists : The SOMASENSO check for manual identification of relevant dysfunctions].

Background: Somatosensory tinnitus is associated with functional disorders of the cervical spine and/or temporomandibular joint region. Manual medicine can be helpful here. However, the diagnostic criteria for somatosensory tinnitus can only partly be derived from the specific anamnesis; in some cases, clinical manual examination techniques are also necessary. The aim of this work was to design a pragmatic screening instrument for somatosensory tinnitus that can be carried out in the ENT practice with a seated patient.

Materials and methods: In a modified Delphi procedure, a group of manual medicine specialists and otorhinolaryngologists identified suitable manual medicine procedures and evaluated them for their feasibility in the ENT practice.

Results: The SOMASENSO check is a pragmatic examination tool that makes it easier for otorhinolaryngologists to identify potential somatosensory tinnitus patients.

Conclusion: The technical difficulty and lack of test-retest reliability of many manual segmental function tests has led to a focus on the detection of movement disorders, pain, and tinnitus modulation.