Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a physical condition, experienced as “ringing in the ears” or another noise that seems to originate in the ears or head. Tinnitus is usually caused by a fault in the hearing system; it is a symptom, not a disease in itself. .

What Causes Tinnitus?

There are many causes – almost everything that can go wrong with our ears can produce tinnitus as a symptom! It could be as simple as wax against the eardrum, or as serious as a tumour on the hearing nerve. Otosclerosis (fixation of the tiny stirrup bone in the middle ear) can produce tinnitus; so can Meniere’s disease. A major cause of tinnitus is EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE NOISE, e.g. chain saws, machinery, rock concerts.

Is Tinnitus Understood?

Research is continuing worldwide, however the actual mechanisms or processes of tinnitus are not yet fully understood. We know that tinnitus is real, not imagined, and that it is a symptom of a malfunction, usually somewhere in the hearing system (including ear and brain).

Often tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss, particularly in the high frequencies.  This means that a person may perceive the normal sounds in the head as louder because outside sounds don’t mask internal noises (like when you hear your heartbeat when it’s quiet). Also, there are similarities between tinnitus and “phantom limb syndrome”: Often people who lose a limb report that they can still feel pain or itchiness in the limb – it’s the brain playing tricks! Similarly, when we lose part of our hearing the auditory part of our brain can also play tricks on us; we still “hear” noise even though there

Do Many People Suffer From Tinnitus?

Yes, millions around the world! Probably 18% of Australians have tinnitus at some time of their lives. Severe tinnitus is recognised as a major affliction, but most people have tinnitus to a milder degree. Given time, commitment and professional help, tinnitus can be reduced for many people.

What can we do to treat Tinnitus?

Although there is no known “silver bullet” that will cure tinnitus, there are still options to help minimise the effects. If you have an associated hearing loss, hearing aids usually help.  Other therapies include the use of noise generators and counselling. Often simple strategies such as listening to soft music at night (see ipillow)  and reducing stress can help. For some people changing diet may reduce the effects (limit salt, caffeine and alcohol). For more information see http://www.tinnitus.asn.au/