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Noises in the head Print E-mail
Written by Women's Health, 2008   
There is no cure for tinnitus, but there are techniques to help sufferers learn to live with the condition.

A person suffering from tinnitus hears 'noises in the head', created in the absence of any external sound. The noise may come from one ear, may be in both ears or appear to come from the middle of the head.

People often find it difficult to pinpoint exactly where the noise is coming from, and that's because it isn't from an external sound - the 'noise' is being created internally but is perceived as a real sound.

Tinnitus sufferers describe the noises as ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming, at a range of volumes from low, ambient noise to a level that can seem overwhelming.

Some people hear the noise as a low frequency; others find it either medium- or high-pitched. It can manifest itself as a single noise or two or more components. The noise may be continuous for some people and may come and go for others.

Tinnitus is most commonly linked to frequent and/or prolonged exposure to loud noise, which can damage the auditory system and increases the risk of getting tinnitus or potentially make it worse.

However a host of other factors can increase the possibility of getting tinnitus including sudden mental or physical changes i.e. retirement, redundancy, depression, health concerns or bereavement. The onset of tinnitus can either be sudden or become more apparent over time.

Tinnitus can affect anyone of any age, sex, nationality or profession. Almost everyone experiences occasional, mild ringing in the ears, either without any clear trigger or after exposure to loud sounds, in work and social environments, which is normal.

However it is highly likely that someone you know is affected by tinnitus, with around 10 per cent of the UK population estimated to be affected. Half of these - some five million people - have persistent or troublesome tinnitus.

Brain management

We hear with the brain, which makes it central to both the perception of and our reaction to the tinnitus signal.

How we 'manage' our brain's perception of this signal is therefore fundamental to how to deal with tinnitus: if a person can adapt their perception of the signal, they will gradually learn to stop paying attention to the noises so the tinnitus will appear to be greatly reduced, or even 'disappear'. This process is known as habituation and is extremely beneficial to coping with tinnitus.

As an individual's attitude to tinnitus adapts and changes, the brain reverts to usual activity of filtering out 'predictable' signals from the different sensory systems (hearing, smell, touch, vision etc.) therefore filtering out the conscious signal from your conscious mind.

Habituation can be very effective, with studies indicating that even without any formal treatment tinnitus noise begins 'disappearing' in 11 per cent of cases and in another 13 per cent diminishes in severity.

Habituation-based therapy usually consists of a combination of sound therapy, counselling and relaxation techniques. The 'cure' consists of a relearning process to reduce awareness of the tinnitus signal, i.e. 'to learn to live without it'.

Tinnitus acts like any external sound in that it is the interpretation of the sound rather than the sound itself that is key (e.g. the reaction to an alarm or music, or the 'filtering out' of unimportant background noise). The reaction to these sounds are more dependent on frame of mind and attitude, than the actual sound itself.

For instance many people report a worsening of their tinnitus when they are anxious or tired, so learning to relax is key to coping with the condition. Those who practise relaxation report it either reduces the loudness of their tinnitus or helps them become indifferent to it.

Habituation is helped by considerable advances in both professional and lay counselling, relaxation training and applications of sound therapy. Specialised treatment is now also available at many local hospitals.

Plug those ears

If you are exposed to noise that afterwards leaves you with ringing in the ears, then it is too loud. This ringing represents a condition called temporary threshold shift and indicates that your hair cells are exhausted from too much noise. A pair of good-quality foam earplugs will help prevent this.

While it's true that earplugs are designed to reduce the level of noise entering the ear, they also prevent the ear becoming saturated with sound. By reducing the level of the sound, the ears' receptors are 'freed up' to listen to other things.

Rather than block sound and music out, earplugs actually enable you to hear better. Earplugs are easy to obtain from reputable companies including Sensorcom, Advanced Listening and Audio Relief.

Who to contact

For advice about tinnitus and where to find habituation therapy near you, call the British Tinnitus Association freephone helpline on 0800 018 0527 or visit www.tinnitus.org.uk
 
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