Tinnitus Awareness Week 2024: A brief introduction to tinnitus

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2024

A brief introduction to tinnitus

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2024, 5th – 11th Feb 2024

#TinnitusWeek #TinnitusAwareness #HearTheNoise #TinnitusSupport #TinnitusResearch #SilenceTheRinging

Tinnitus Awareness Week is an annual campaign dedicated to increasing awareness about tinnitus, a condition characterised by the perception of ringing or buzzing sounds in the ears. Held typically in the first week of February, this observance aims to educate the public about the causes, impact, and management of tinnitus.

It provides a platform to promote understanding and empathy for individuals living with tinnitus, as well as to highlight available resources and support networks. Tinnitus Awareness Week emphasises the importance of prevention, early intervention, and ongoing research in improving the quality of life for those affected by this persistent auditory phenomenon.

In light of this awareness week, we take a brief look into this debilitating condition to raise awareness and discuss what treatments and support therapies are out there to relieve the symptoms and spikes of tinnitus.

What is tinnitus?

This invisible condition is the perception of sound within your ears or head that is not from an external sound source.  It is known as the ‘ringing of the ears’, but it may take the form of a buzzing sound, whistling sound or a combination of them all.  These sounds can be heard from one or both ears and/or in the headspace. 

It is often hard to distinguish exactly where the sounds are coming from and can vary in frequency and duration (in severe cases – consistent).  It is also hard to convince people of it, as the sounds are generally subjective to just the person who is suffering and the only one who can hear it.

How can tinnitus affect individuals?  It can affect the sufferer in various ways and may alter in intensity throughout the day.  For instance, the symptoms may seem more intense in the evening when you’ve come home after experiencing loud live music.  Sadly, in most cases, people suffer from tinnitus every day and ultimately this affects their quality of life. 

How can tinnitus affect quality of life?  The high-pitched sounds decrease their concentration levels and affect sleep patterns and their ability to maintain focus is nearly impossible.  What is most unfortunate, is that it opens the door to social anxiety and depression if support is not shown or given.  Whatever level of tinnitus people experience, the common factor is the ability to focus on other sounds or conversations is always a daily challenge. 

Certain postures can highlight the frequencies that sufferers absorb.  The pressure changes in your body when you move your head or when you stay still can alter the severity and volume of the tinnitus they experience.  Similarly, when they feel tired, stressed, and anxious – the condition can worsen.

What are the causes of tinnitus?

Tinnitus isn’t an illness or a disease but is believed to be a symptom of an inner ear problem or an abnormality in the hearing pathways to the brain.  In most cases tinnitus occurs when the inner ear is damaged, but here are some other suspected causes:

• Exposure to loud noises
• Ear infections
• Head injury
• Wax build-up in the ear
• The side effects of medication
• High blood pressure
• Age-related hearing loss

What are the symptoms of tinnitus?

What you hear is variable – you may experience ringing, hissing, whistling, whooshing, roaring, or clicking.  The sounds can be short, alter in volume, or be a continual occurrence.  The volume is unique to every sufferer and while one person may hear tinnitus some parts of the day – others struggle with consistently loud and unchanging noise all the time.

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2024

Is tinnitus and hearing loss connected?

What are the links between tinnitus and hearing loss?

Is tinnitus and hearing loss linked in any way?  Tinnitus is the second most common form of hearing loss (after age-related) and highlights that something is wrong with the auditory system and/or the cochlea of the inner ear, the auditory nerve, and parts of the brain that process sound. 

Generally, tinnitus goes hand in hand with hearing loss because of this and would indicate that there has been some noise damage in the past.  However, around 10% of people who suffer from tinnitus don’t have any form of hearing loss, even if the condition is severe.

Tinnitus statistics in the UK:

• 90% of people with tinnitus have hearing loss
• 10% experience constant symptoms
• 0.5% find tinnitus affects their quality of life
• 8% seek support and treatment
• 2.5% attend hospital due to anxiety and depression

Seeking professional help for tinnitus - What can help tinnitus?

There are many ways in which you can seek support and relieve your tinnitus symptoms.  Here are a few recommendations:

Like with most health problems an early diagnosis is vital to providing you with the right support and regaining quality of life.  As soon as you start experiencing the signs of tinnitus book an appointment with an audiologist who will assess your hearing and offer you advice and treatment.  You might be referred to a hearing therapist or coach who can provide CBT and TRT tinnitus therapy support.

Exercise can help tinnitus symptoms

It is important to maintain a balanced diet and a healthy attitude toward exercise.  A healthy body promotes a healthy mind and exercise can be a great distraction away from tinnitus.  A lot of sufferers practice meditation and yoga for a more mindful approach to the condition.

White noise can help with tinnitus

Introduce background noise like audiobooks, relaxing music, and the radio.  This helps to distract the mind and allows you to concentrate on something more soothing, rather than the annoying and constant tinnitus levels. 

That being said, it is important to keep the background noise lower than the tinnitus levels, as sometimes the tinnitus volume can spike afterwards and cause more suffering.

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2024

Getting tinnitus support from hearing aids

Hearing aids for tinnitus

Studies indicate that digital hearing aids can indeed reduce the impact of tinnitus for a large percentage of individuals. In a 2007 US survey of hearing care professionals, they reported that about 60% of their patients with tinnitus had their symptoms eased through hearing aids, and roughly 22% of their patients had experienced significant relief.

It is recommended to use hearing aids for those with hearing loss and tinnitus. They can be effective either used alone or as part of a wider package of therapy.  Some of the potential advantages of using hearing aids for tinnitus include:

• Amplification of external sounds:

Hearing aids can amplify external sounds, which can help to mask tinnitus and make it less noticeable. This can be especially helpful in noisy environments or when trying to sleep.

• Sound therapy:

Some hearing aids have special programs or settings that can deliver sound therapy for tinnitus. This can involve the use of soothing, calming sounds or white noise to help mask tinnitus.

• Improved communication:

If tinnitus is accompanied by hearing loss, hearing aids can help to improve communication by amplifying sounds and making them easier to hear.

• Enhanced quality of life:

By helping to alleviate the symptoms of tinnitus and improving communication, hearing aids can contribute to an overall improvement in quality of life.

It's important to note that while hearing aids can be a helpful treatment for tinnitus, they are not a cure and may not work for everyone. It's always a good idea to discuss treatment options with an audiologist after your hearing healthcare consultation.