Tinnitus Facts And Myths – Not What You Heard!
There are important differences between suffering the condition known as tinnitus and the more serious noise induced hearing loss. Many misconceptions exist, and while it is true in rare cases that tinnitus may be the first sign of serious hearing damage, it is most commonly a result of more mundane causes such as the build up of wax or ear infection.
Debunking some of the more common myths surrounding tinnitus can be a very valuable exercise for all those who currently have the complaint, or will suffer with the condition in the future.
Tinnitus is not a lifelong condition and, except in the most rarest of cases only, is not caused by a serious illness or high blood pressure, but is typically the result of an external factor.
Tinnitus affects every age group, even small children and not only those of advancing years. It does not become progressively worse, except once again, in a minority of cases, and for most sufferers, tinnitus actually improves over time.
Although tinnitus is most commonly experienced as a ringing sound in the ears, it does considerably vary from ‘hearing’ whistling, rumbling, whooshing, buzzing, a musical sound, and other types of interference noise.
Tinnitus does not eventually cause complete hearing loss and sufferers are at no greater risk of developing deafness than non-sufferers. And whilst tinnitus has every possibility of disappearing after a while, if a short-term condition results from exposure to excessive levels of noise, and the tinnitus persists for a month or more, this is probably long enough for it to be considered a long-term condition.
Tinnitus is neither psychosomatic nor has it any contributory link to mental illness. Whilst tinnitus is a sign of damage or imbalance in the body’s auditory system, the overwhelming research evidence shows most conclusively that sufferers are more than capable of living with the condition, rather than being ‘driven mad’.
It may be true for some sufferers that tinnitus can greatly affect their ability to enjoy certain everyday living, leisure and work activities, it should be understood as not being a trivial health matter that does not merit further investigation, or seeking hearing loss advice.
If tinnitus has developed as a result of possible workplace environmental conditions that may lead to contracting industrial deafness amongst those who have been exposed, then obtaining all the relevant facts is essential before proceeding further.