Tinnitus

The term “Tinnitus” is used for all sound perceptions that people have in one ear, both ears or in their head without sounds coming from the outside. Tinnitus is experienced in many different ways, as a ringing sound, or other sounds such as buzzing, humming, whistling, tunes, songs etc. Pulsatile tinnitus exists if the noise beats in time with ones pulse. Tinnitus can also occur occasionally for a few seconds in the majority even of healthy ears, especially after listening to loud sounds. The condition may persist for a brief period or could be felt permanently.

Chronic tinnitus can affect a person’s work, family, and social life. It can interfere with sleep, make it difficult to concentrate or to relax, increase sensitivity to loud sounds and lead to anxiety and depression.

Today, Tinnitus is seen as a symptom rather than a disease, and most therapy approaches do not try to cure an “organic” cause, but some kind of “habituation”, often supported by tinnitus instruments or hearing instruments.

As Tinnitus can have permanent conditions, it is recommended to have precautionary measures. Avoiding excessive noise, for example wearing earplugs when going to a concert or clubbing is certainly recommended.