7-13th February 2022 has been designated as Tinnitus Week
What is Tinnitus?
It is a term used to describe the sensation of hearing a sound in the absence of any external source. It is an involuntary act of hearing a sound. People experience different symptoms, but most commonly they include a ringing in the ears, humming sound or buzzing in the ear. In extreme cases, people experience dizziness. These sensations can be continuous or intermittent and is often hard to judge whether the sound is in the ear or the head. It is often impossible to pinpoint. Tinnitus can often lead to loss of hearing, particularly in the elderly.
There is another type of Tinnitus called ‘musical hallucination’ where the sound takes a musical quality, usually a familiar song or tune. This usually occurs in older people who have strong musical interests and who have experienced loss of hearing.
Most sufferers can carry on leading a normal life and activities, and the condition is manageable diagnosed early.
What are the causes of Tinnitus?
The exact cause is not known at present, but it is generally accepted that it is not a disease or an illness. The current medical consensus is that Tinnitus is caused by some change, either mental or physical condition, not necessarily related to hearing.
When sound enters the ear, the ear nerves transfer the signals to the brain. The brain then collects that information and interprets it – allowing us to make sense of that sound. The brain will automatically filter out unwanted sounds such as a clock ticking. Where there is an ear infection or a change in the transfer of signals process, the brain is unable to interpret that sound correctly. The brain then attempts to interpret the signals by looking for more information. This extra information is the sound we define as Tinnitus. Tinnitus is therefore an activity of the brain, not a defect in the ear. It has been noticed that periods of extreme stress often led to Tinnitus, as the stress affects the functioning of the internal organs, including the brain.
What should I do?
In the first instance, you should refer to your GP for a discussion. The GP may refer you to the Ear, Throat and Eye Clinic for a thorough examination. Apart from the evaluation, they will offer advice, guidance, and exercises (by trained Audiologists), to help alleviate or mitigate the impact on it.
Can it be treated?
Yes. Audiologists can offer advice on “retraining the ear”, learning how to manage the unwanted sound. In some cases, a hearing aid device can be used (especially where there is loss of hearing)
In most cases, the discomfort of Tinnitus settles down and becomes less noticeable. When a person first enters a noisy room, the initial sense of noise is apparent. However, over time, the body gets used to it, and filters it out, so becoming less obvious.
Relaxation techniques and in some cases, meditation can help to block out the sound. Group discussions can often help, learning from other people’s experiences. It is often recommended that those whose sleep is affected listen to relaxing music, to relax the body, to block the unwanted sounds and enable you to sleep.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. A psychological approach to manage Tinnitus. This aims to train your brain to treat the sound positively rather than negatively – thereby minimising the risk of its impact
- Meditation techniques. The body automatically resists these unwanted sounds. The aim is to train the body/brain to stop resisting these sounds. By learning to ignore these sounds, they become less noticeable. The greatest weapon is the brain. It needs to be trained to ignore, to manage these additional unwanted sounds.
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. This is a very specialised approach to the treatment and management of Tinnitus. This will use sounds at a particular frequency and wavelength to reduce the priority of the Tinnitus so that you no longer hear it. The idea is that the ear/brain gets used to a sound, it then becomes less noticeable. The process of getting used to a sound is called habituation. This method uses sound and counselling to treat/manage the Tinnitus.
Take care of your hearing. Always seek immediate medical advice. The sooner it is detected, the sooner it can be treated and managed. Various charities offer advice and guidance.
Health surveillance
Employers owe a duty to safeguard the health, safety, and well being of their staff. Where employees are exposed to noise in the workplace, employers should carry out risk assessments to identify the noise hazards, implement control measures to remove or reduce the risks. If this is not possible, as a last resort, employers should provide ear protection for their staff. Those affected, should be checked annually under a health surveillance programme. Quest can offer you the advice and guidance as to your duties and obligations, to enable you to manage the situation and avoid long term risks and injuries. Please call us on 01455 852 028.
(Source British Tinnitus Association)
