Historical background
Tinnitus can be defined as ringing in the ears, or other head noises that occur independently without an external noise source (Yost, 1994). Statistics based on studies conducted within the UK show about 10 percent of adults, or six million people, have constant mild tinnitus, whilst up to 1 percent of adults or 60,000 people have tinnitus that affects their quality of life. Many studies have shown that the risk of developing tinnitus increases with age. In the UK alone up to 30 percent of over 70’s experience tinnitus, compared to 12 percent of people in their 60’s and just 1 percent of people aged under 45 (British Tinnitus Association, 2011). An analysis using data from 1994-2004 National health and nutrition examination survey study found that the prevalence of frequent tinnitus, which was defined as tinnitus occurring at least once a day, rose with increasing age up to 14.3 percent of the population aged 60-69 years (Palmer et al, 2013). Tinnitus can be classified into two categories, objective and subjective forms.
Objective tinnitus
Objective tinnitus is relatively uncommon and its causes are simpler to identify. Objective tinnitus refers to sounds in the ear that can be heard by others, as well as the sufferer using special listening devices called stethoscopes or undergo some form of medical imaging such as MRI or CT scans.
One possible cause for objective tinnitus is that it may occur due to the close proximity of an artery to the middle ear space, as a result the sufferer may perceive a rhythmic rushing noise caused by their own pulse; this is also known as ‘pulsatile tinnitus’ (Vernon, 1998). Evidence to support blood flow as a cause of objective tinnitus comes from the work of Champlin e...
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...by changing how they think about tinnitus and what they do about it, their distress is reduced; sufferers start to tolerate the noises and they eventually become less noticeable.
Stress therapy is also used to help manage tinnitus. Stress is often linked to tinnitus and relaxation is well known as being helpful in relieving stress. Methods of relaxation include biofeedback, breathing exercises and meditation.
A combination of both prosthetic and physiological method known as tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) has also been used in managing tinnitus.
VARIOUS METHODS BUT I WILL ONLY DISCUSS….
In addition to this other methods including a caffeine free diet and stress relief medication can also be used to manage tinnitus. However this is not within the remit of an audiologist and so patients would need to consult their doctor or dietician for further detailed advice.
Moore, Brian C.J. (2007). Cochlear Hearing Loss: Physiological, Psychological and Technical Issues. England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Throughout our day to day lives we are exposed to many sounds such as the sound of traffic, coversation, TV, nature and music. More often than not these sounds that we experience are at a low safe level, levels that will not affect or harm our hearing. Unfortunatley when we are exposed to sound levels that are too high or loud sounds over a long period of time there is a chance that the delicate inner workings of the ear can be permanatly damaged. This is known as noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)
Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder. People diagnosed with Meniere’s disease experience a variety of symptoms which include a fluctuating hearing loss which can turn permanent, tinnitus or a ringing sound in the ears, ear pressure, and spinning also known as vertigo. Most people with Meniere’s disease only have one ear affected by the disease. Meniere’s disease usually affects people between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can appear at any age. Meniere’s disease is chronic and there is no cure, but there are treatment options people can use to minimize some of the symptoms they might experience (1).
Munro, K. J., & Blount, J. (2009). Adaptive plasticity in brainstem of adult listeners following earplug-induced deprivation. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 126(2), 568-571.
In the middle ear the sound is amplified in order to move the fluid in the ear.
Despite interventions aimed at decreasing noise, sound levels continue to exceed WHO recommendations and the ICU sounds (e.g., alarms and conversations) may interfere with sleep. The psychological impact of noise in the ICU varies. For some patients, the sounds in the ICU are comforting and for others they cause distress. To create a therapeutic environment, continued efforts are needed to decrease background noise, and to modify behaviors and factors that cause peak noise events. Interventions to protect patients from noise in the ICU, such as earplugs, may be beneficial in optimizing outcomes; however, further research is needed in a broader ICU population. Finally, to evaluate the effects of these interventions, valid and reliable methods for outcomes, such as sleep and sound levels, must be used.
Although level noise do not reach OSHA level (occupational safety & health administration) that causes noise-induced hearing loss, the paediatric nurse in the unit are exposed to continuous moderate noise levels that may causing impairment (Berens, 2008). In addition, these noise exposures may result in abnormalities in the stress response as well as in sleep patterns. (Berens, 2008). If working long shifts weekly and being exposed to noise it will have an effect on hearing loss. The loss of hearing depends on how loud the sound is and the length the person is exposed to sound. Exposure to high level of noise and sound can cause deafness. During or after being exposed to loud noise can leave a ringing sound in the ear. Noise will interfere with communication which could lead to misunderstanding of orders. This could lead to a higher risk of accidents when communication is
According to Chapman et al., (2000), the loss of hearing appears to be a chronic issue through...
Harmful noises are everywhere. “The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that approximately 30 million Americans are exposed to daily noise levels that will likely lead to hearing loss” (Daniel, 2007, p. 226). Excessive noise exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, poor communication abilities, and reduced self-esteem; however, it can be prevented in many situations. This paper will discuss how much noise exposure can occur before it becomes hazardous, the long-term effects of noise exposure at an early age, and the primary reasons why preventable socioacousis occurs.
A growing body of research points to the link between hearing loss and mental health. Older adults with untreated hearing loss are 57 percent more likely to experience severe stress and depression than their peers with normal hearing, according to a John Hopkins study.
Hearing loss is a major global public health issue. Hearnet (2017) defines hearing loss as “a disability that occurs when one or more parts of the ear and/or the parts of the brain that make up the hearing pathway do not function normally” (para. 1). There are many different types of hearing loss, which can have multiple causes, giving each individual experiencing the issue a unique hearing loss case. These types include Auditory Processing Disorders, when the brain has problems processing sound information; Conductive Hearing Loss, a problem with the outer or middle ear which prevents sound making its way to the inner ear; and Sensorineural Hearing Loss, when the Cochlea or auditory nerve is damaged and cannot
and the potential causes. Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the middle ear that can cause tinnitus,
Some teenagers are not affected by hearing issue due to following safety rules. The claim only affects people who listens to music too loud. The qualifiers "One in five," shows that there are exceptions to author's claim.
Auditory brainstem response (ABR) refers to responses that originate from the brainstem when a short stimulus is played to a patient’s ears. Results are extracted by recording electrical activity in the brain using electrodes that are placed on the scalp, which produce an EEG that consists of different waveforms but the background EEG is separated to detect only the auditory brainstem response. The stimulus presented to the patient is most commonly a click stimulus, which generates a response from the basilar region of the cochlea, as it produces waves that have a high amplitude and clear morphology. The other option is a tone pip stimulus, which is more frequency specific, but has lower amplitude compared to a click stimulus. A response occurs
The current hypothesis is that one of my genes is a mutated gene, that mutated gene is what is causing my hearing loss. If this is the real reason why I have hearing loss, there is also worry for what other problems does this mutated gene cause. With finding a mutated gene, they will most likely be able to predict how much worse my hearing will get. Another possible but not likely cause is a tumor, currently, I have to get an MRI to make sure that there is no growth inside of my head. If there is a growth, that will lead to some serious issues. The last possible cause is that loud noises have damaged my hearing, but it is even more less likely than a tumor. I am almost never exposed to loud music, concerts, or anything of that nature, which would causes hearing loss. Since I've been losing hearing since I was 5, they have practically ruled that one out because it makes no