Even mild hearing loss can cause tinnitus and many people are not aware that their hearing has deteriorated because it usually happens so gradually. Have your hearing checked – One of the most common causes of tinnitus is hearing loss. Here are some broad strategies that will help you in your quest to deal with your tinnitus. It is important to note that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to tinnitus management and recent research recommends a personalised approach under the guidance of an Audiologist. Of course, those who subject their ears to loud music such as at concerts or through headphones up too loud are prime candidates for tinnitus. Gender – Though men and women get tinnitus, the number of men is higher.Ĭardiovascular issues – Those with high blood pressure or atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries) have an increased risk of tinnitus.Įxposure to loud noise – People who work in noisy places such as factories and airport tarmacs are more susceptible. Smoking – You have a higher risk of experiencing tinnitus if you smoke.

Here are the most common risk factors:Īgeing – The older you get, the nerve fibres in your ears deteriorate, leading to gradual hearing loss and quite often, tinnitus. This is a dysfunction and it’s undesirable but you really have to hand it to the brain for being so clever! Who suffers from tinnitus?įrankly, tinnitus can affect people of all ages, genders, races and hearing abilities. The brain is used to receiving audio signals from the ear and when they are no longer detected, or are greatly reduced, the brain generates its own signals or sounds to compensate. In tinnitus caused by hearing loss – however mild or significant the loss – the phantom pain theory suggests a similar mechanism is in play. Neuroscientists believe that since the brain is used to receiving sensory signals from that part of the body, when the signals cease, the brain steps in and generates its own signals around what the hand is doing.

You may have heard of ‘phantom pain’ which is when a person who has lost a hand reports that they can still feel pain as if the hand was still there. The noises can be barely detectable, or they can be debilitatingly loud. It generally sounds like a high-pitched ringing but for some people, it can sound like whistling, hissing, blowing, buzzing, humming, sizzling or roaring. The sounds don’t exist in the environment and only the sufferer can hear them, which is why it seems to be an imaginary condition. Tinnitus is the medical term for ‘ringing in the ears’. But first, let’s explore what tinnitus is. How much it disturbs your quality of life depends on a variety of factors. For some, it comes and goes without rhyme or reason. Studies have shown that as much as 98% of the population will experience tinnitus in a room that is quiet enough, such as an acoustics laboratory. It’s believed that around 18% of Australians are affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus is real, you’re not imagining it The truth is, tinnitus is absolutely not all in the mind. But also, people often think tinnitus is ‘all in their mind’ so they tend not to bring it up in general conversation. No one goes out for coffee and says to their friends: “Hey, do you hear that? That high-pitched squeal?” Mostly it’s because tinnitus tends to be more noticeable in a quiet environment, like when you’re lying in bed at night, trying to go to sleep. Most people think they’re alone in experiencing it because it’s not something we typically discuss. Tinnitus, commonly known as ‘ringing in the ears’ is more common than you may think. Ringing in the ears affects approximately 10-15% of people on a regular basis

Does everyone have tinnitus in silence