For those who are not affected themselves, it is unimaginable: a permanent hammering, whistling, hissing or ringing in the ear accompanies those affected day and night and puts a lot of strain on them. What are the consequences of tinnitus?
Doctors speak of tinnitus as persistent ringing in the ears from which those affected suffer acutely or chronically, i.e. for more than three months. If the sounds are only heard by those affected themselves, this is referred to as subjective tinnitus. Every person who suffers from it usually hears specific tones or sounds that are often difficult to describe by those affected and can become a real torture in everyday life. Objective tinnitus, on the other hand, occurs when so-called "objective" ear noises, i.e. "body sounds" or body noises, are caused by sound sources near the ear such as breathing or spasms in the middle ear.
In Germany, about 2.7 million adults suffer from chronic tinnitus, and about 1.5 million develop a severe form. Every year, around 250,000 new cases are added, according to the German Tinnitus League.
Tinnitus is not a disease, but rather a symptom of the auditory system. Many sufferers, especially with chronic tinnitus, experience their everyday life as so stressful that they have difficulty concentrating and falling asleep or staying asleep and can no longer withstand the stress after a certain period of time. It can lead to serious consequences for the psyche.
Tinnitus: Who can develop the noises in the ear?
Many of those affected are particularly sensitive to external noise and cover their ears when it rings or crashes (hyperacusis). High frequencies are more unpleasant than low ones. Under silence, i.e. no external noise, tinnitus patients suffer almost the most, as the tones and sounds in the ear are then perceived most clearly. © Zoonar.com/Csaba Deli/Imago
Basically, tinnitus can develop at any age, but tends to increase with increasing age and incipient hearing problems, as reported by the portal ENT doctors on the net. Most of those affected are between the ages of 40 and 50, when the first tinnitus sets in. The proportion of tinnitus patients is particularly high among severely hearing impaired or deaf people. In fact, however, the number of people under 30 affected is increasing noticeably, possibly due to noisy everyday life or leisure activities.
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Tinnitus: How do the noises in the ear occur?
One of the main causes of tinnitus developing is a disorder in the ear and/or wider hearing system. If the tinnitus becomes chronic or there is a disease of the brain, the cause of the ringing in the ears is probably not in the inner ear, but rather in the central auditory system itself. Stress, physical overload and alcohol consumption can intensify the noises in the ear.
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Causes of tinnitus
Sudden hearing loss
Stress
Excessive noise, loud music, a bang right next to the ear – for example, from a balloon
Blow to the ear
Fall or blow to the head
Attacks of vertigo, so-called Meniere's disease, with increased accumulation of fluid and increased pressure in the inner ear
Benign tumor on the auditory nerve
Problems with the cervical spine
Problems in the tooth-jaw area
drugs such as antibiotics, diuretics, chemotherapy drugs, antimalarial drugs, high doses of acetylsalicylic acid
Tinnitus in the ear: diseases such as sleep disorders and depression as a result
If the constant whistling, hissing or buzzing in the ear becomes unbearable for those affected, tinnitus can lead to severe side effects and illnesses. This is done depending on the severity of the sounds:
- Tinnitus – severity level 1:
no severe impairment in everyday life due to the tinnitus - Tinnitus – Severity 2:
Ringing in the ears is perceived as disturbing, especially in stressful and resting situations - Tinnitus – severity 3:
Ringing in the ears is a heavy burden and dominates everyday professional and private life - Tinnitus – severity 4:
The suffering caused by tinnitus is so pronounced in the respective affected persons that the constant noises result in lasting psychological and physical complaints. These can be, for example, severe headaches, increasing noise hypersensitivity, difficulty concentrating, problems falling asleep and staying asleep, anxiety disorders, pain and sometimes severe depression - one of the most common secondary diseases - up to suicidal thoughts.
Tinnitus: Example of ringing in the ears
The range of different sound sensations is at least as large as the number of people who develop ringing in the ears. One of the most frequently described tones and sounds in tinnitus is a kind of whistling.
Source: Deutsche Tinnitus-Liga e. V.
This article contains only general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, individual questions about clinical pictures may not be answered by our editors.
