2 Million Incapacitated?

[dan]

The number of residents in the U.S. affected by tinnitus is estimated at 37 million to 40 million.[1,2] Given that the U.S. population is approaching 296 million, about 12% to 14%, or one in seven to eight Americans, is affected with tinnitus. This condition may affect 30% of adults.[3] Experts also estimate that 15% of Americans have experienced tinnitus that lasts longer than five minutes, that 155 million (over 50% of the population) have sought medical care for tinnitus, and that 6% of sufferers report being incapacitated by tinnitus.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506920

To me that sounds like a huge problem (2 million people out of work because of ringing in their ears!) Yet almost no research is done and very poor funding.

I dont get it!

 

[erik]

Most if those 37-40 million don't have it to the level we do on TT. I don't think the number is that high and I doubt 2 million are out of work because of T because if that was true we would hear about it much more. It is difficult to accurately gauge a number of afflicted.

I do agree that funding is poor and research is scant. As big of an issue as it is to us (T-sufferers), it just isn't that big to anyone else.

 

[valeri]

Shocking

 

[tinnitussufferer]

Most if those 37-40 million don't have it to the level we do on TT.

how do you know? wheres the proof

 

[Aaron123]

The quote is from a 2005 article in a Journal called US Pharmacist. It's a little hard to believe that paragraph though it could depend on how things are measured. For example, 37 to 40 million are affected by tinnitus yet 155 million seek medical care for tinnitus.

I dug a little deeper though hit a roadblock due to an inability to easily track down the citations. The references for these statistics are

1. Noell CA, Meyerhoff WL. Tinnitus: diagnosis and treatment of this elusive symptom. Geriatrics. 2003;58:28-34.
   
   
2. Weissman JL, Hirsch BE. Imaging of tinnitus: a review. Radiology. 2000;216:342-349.
   
   
3. Heller AJ. Classification and epidemiology of tinnitus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003;36:239-248.
   
   
4. Schwaber MK. Medical evaluation of tinnitus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003;36:287-292.

The first reference is the source of the 37 million statistic. It cites a chapter (co-authored by Meyerhoff) in an Otolaryngology textbook published in 1991. Presumably the 40 million comes from the Radiology article which I can't access.

I also can't access the journal "Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America" which is the source for the statistics in the last sentence. Would love to track those down and see where they got those numbers (though not enough to actually track them down...).

Hard to know more without seeing the original sources, but I am skeptical of all of these numbers.

It doesn't change the fact that research on tinnitus and associated conditions is woefully underfunded.

 

[tinnitussufferer]

Money does not cure tinnitus. How do you know there is a cure? Some things are incurable.

 

[Quentino]

how do you know? wheres the proof

Wella lot of people who are not on internet say they have T but learned to live with it, so it's more likely that they have a supportable noise in their head instead of the engine-like T some people on this forum have.

The problem of T is pretty "common" but his importance badly known, so it's logical that majority of people have only slight T.

 

[erik]

how do you know? wheres the proof

That was just my opinion. I just think that if that 40 million are suffering to the degree people are here at TT, it would be in the news all the time, research would get funded and we would have treatments. Nope. Barely even a blip. As Quentino said, most people prob have very mild T and they cope with it fine.

One fact is that the ATA has doled out a not so whopping $6 million to tinnitus research in the last 34.5 years- not exactly the fast track to a cure. However, private funding to tinnitus R&D has tripled+ that amount in the last 5 years, so that is at least encouraging. We don't know if something in not curable unless we try and trying takes $$.

 

[Quentino]

We don't know if something in not curable unless we try and trying takes $$.

What you have said answer a recurrent question on this forum : why research has not found a cure yet?
Because Hearing system is a very complicated biological structure, hard to heal, and because it's not society or States that fund research : those who are funding those are privates investors. And if there is little chance / too much difficulties for a research to conclude, investors don't take the risk!

And T can be totally different from a person to another ( it's a symptom, and not a disease if you whant to be precise). So research about this must be hellish.
And if in people's mind those concerned can live with this... well you understand why research is so poor.

 

[tinnitussufferer]

That was just my opinion. I just think that if that 40 million are suffering to the degree people are here at TT, it would be in the news all the time, research would get funded and we would have treatments. Nope. Barely even a blip. As Quentino said, most people prob have very mild T and they cope with it fine.

One fact is that the ATA has doled out a not so whopping $6 million to tinnitus research in the last 34.5 years- not exactly the fast track to a cure. However, private funding to tinnitus R&D has tripled+ that amount in the last 5 years, so that is at least encouraging. We don't know if something in not curable unless we try and trying takes $$.

tinnitus may seem like a simple problem but its harder than cancer. we cant do experiments on people its not ethical to investigate the brain to find out where the ringing is coming from. So its not a question of money

 

[dan]

tinnitus may seem like a simple problem but its harder than cancer. we cant do experiments on people its not ethical to investigate the brain to find out where the ringing is coming from. So its not a question of money

They do experiments on animals for tinnitus.

 

[Nucleo]

Money does not cure tinnitus. How do you know there is a cure? Some things are incurable.

You're right. Let's just stop all research. /s

 

[tinnitussufferer]

There's no way to know that animals get tinnitus because they cant communicate to us that they are experiencing it.

 

[markoana]

That was just my opinion. I just think that if that 40 million are suffering to the degree people are here at TT, it would be in the news all the time, research would get funded and we would have treatments. Nope. Barely even a blip. As Quentino said, most people prob have very mild T and they cope with it fine.

One fact is that the ATA has doled out a not so whopping $6 million to tinnitus research in the last 34.5 years- not exactly the fast track to a cure. However, private funding to tinnitus R&D has tripled+ that amount in the last 5 years, so that is at least encouraging. We don't know if something in not curable unless we try and trying takes $$.

U are right, there are not so many people with severe t.
TT is the biggest forum on internet, but has just about 7.000 members, FB page about 500. But that definetly can not be good enough reason not to invest in researchs. Even people with not so severe t. would buy a pill or something to have quiet in their ears and head. So it is huge market still. But there are some positive thing, i have read on TT fb page that thread of RGT (Trobalt) was viewed by 200.000 people worldwide.

 

[Sailboardman]

I'm one of the couple of million, who can't function without full time masking. I can barely drive. To me, research can do what they want, so can Autifony. Because mega T, the kind that not only fills a room with so much noise, you can hardly hear a conversation, it distorts your vision, can't be cured in my opinion or lifetime. It would be easier and quicker, just cutting my head off.

 

[tinnitussufferer]

can it really be as loud as not being able to hear someone speak?

 

[erik]

can it really be as loud as not being able to hear someone speak?

Depends I guess. Mine is super loud right now and trying to watch Fear of the Walking Dead so I have TV turned up quite a bit (and I also have H so it a compromise). It's mainly the quiet dialog parts I cannot hear because of these crickets. The solace I have is that #1- there are times when it can also be really quiet. So there must be a mechanism in my head that can control this volume. I just need to find the remote! and #2 - That the zombie apocalypse hasn't happened yet.

 

[Inge]

Most if those 37-40 million don't have it to the level we do on TT. I don't think the number is that high and I doubt 2 million are out of work because of T because if that was true we would hear about it much more. It is difficult to accurately gauge a number of afflicted.

I do agree that funding is poor and research is scant. As big of an issue as it is to us (T-sufferers), it just isn't that big to anyone else.

You are misinformed. T is the leading condition for VA disability benefits, even higher than PTSD. There are in fact several million Americans with very severe T. It is invisible and people cannot relate to it. They would rather give their money to cancer research not understanding that painful chronic diseases like T are like a life sentence. At least with cancer you either get better or you die. T is a life time of torture without killing you. Not to mention the abundant sympathy cancer patients and survivors get. We need more research money.

 

[valeri]

I wonder if we can get to veterans affairs somehow and get things moving?
Any ideas?

 

[PaulBe]

I wonder if we can get to veterans affairs somehow and get things moving?

I bet they're determined not to know.

 

[Quentino]

Why do you say that?

 

[valeri]

I bet they're determined not to know.

And also very determined not to care

 

[markoana]

You are misinformed. T is the leading condition for VA disability benefits, even higher than PTSD. There are in fact several million Americans with very severe T. It is invisible and people cannot relate to it. They would rather give their money to cancer research not understanding that painful chronic diseases like T are like a life sentence. At least with cancer you either get better or you die. T is a life time of torture without killing you. Not to mention the abundant sympathy cancer patients and survivors get. We need more research money.

Several million Americans with severe T. I do no think so... Where are they, where are organizations, activities, there is even no internet activism of the suffers. This is the biggest one, and most referent, but just 7.000 ppl here...

I want to believe that u are right, so there is more chance to do some research. It is absolutely shame of USA that they have even 1 million of t. suffers and they are doing almost nothing about it in finding out a cure. terible

 

[Inge]

And also very determined not to care

Actually the VA just did a study on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and about half of patients saw significant improvement. Problem with this treatment is the cost $15000 and most insurances wont cover it.

 

[Inge]

Several million Americans with severe T. I do no think so... Where are they, where are organizations, activities, there is even no internet activism of the suffers. This is the biggest one, and most referent, but just 7.000 ppl here...

I want to believe that u are right, so there is more chance to do some research. It is absolutely shame of USA that they have even 1 million of t. suffers and they are doing almost nothing about it in finding out a cure. terible

Maybe there is not much T awareness because half of sufferers of severe T are veterans and their treatment is handled by the the VA. Lets face it everyone has a mouthful on supporting the troops but when veterans return all broken no one cares. Many vets end up homeless and as a society we care about them even less. Moreover the T issue is confused with many people who have mild T not understanding how devastating severe T can be. My two cents anyway.

 

[valeri]

@markoana

Try to do something even with the members here and see what will happen!
NOTHING!
The lethargy of tinnitus community is disgusting!

 

[Mike82]

Just my two cents, but I think there's some fundamental misunderstandings of human psychology going on in this thread.

For example, my tinnitus is almost certainly a product of my own lifestyle (ie. stupidity). Why would I - a person with a postgraduate degree - want to broadcast to my friends and family that I was dumb enough to destroy my own hearing to the point that I've got intrusive tinnitus? It's certainly not something I'm proud of.

Furthermore, while it's true that I have intrusive tinnitus... I also have a number of other things going on in my life. And if part of the path to habituation is to accept this noise inside my head and live my life regardless, then I'm not sure how constantly focusing on the ringing in my ears - annoying as it is - is going to help that process.

Lastly, from my discussions with various doctors... I can tell that only a small percentage of tinnitus sufferers experience the level of intrusive noise that all of us here do. Almost all of the doctors I've spoken to (and from anecdotal experience I've seen elsewhere) have reacted with a "tinnitus... who cares?" attitude. That suggests to me that there are more people who experience this noise at a level that doesn't overly bother them, than those who experience it a level they find severely debilitating.

/two cents

 

[Constable85]

Just my two cents, but I think there's some fundamental misunderstandings of human psychology going on in this thread.

For example, my tinnitus is almost certainly a product of my own lifestyle (ie. stupidity). Why would I - a person with a postgraduate degree - want to broadcast to my friends and family that I was dumb enough to destroy my own hearing to the point that I've got intrusive tinnitus? It's certainly not something I'm proud of.

Furthermore, while it's true that I have intrusive tinnitus... I also have a number of other things going on in my life. And if part of the path to habituation is to accept this noise inside my head and live my life regardless, then I'm not sure how constantly focusing on the ringing in my ears - annoying as it is - is going to help that process.

Lastly, from my discussions with various doctors... I can tell that only a small percentage of tinnitus sufferers experience the level of intrusive noise that all of us here do. Almost all of the doctors I've spoken to (and from anecdotal experience I've seen elsewhere) have reacted with a "tinnitus... who cares?" attitude. That suggests to me that there are more people who experience this noise at a level that doesn't overly bother them, than those who experience it a level they find severely debilitating.

/two cents

Ashamed? So I guess people who smoked should just shut up and be embarrassed that they have lung cancer? Give me a break. We are all human and we all make mistakes. Show some damn humanity man.

 

[Steve]

Getting back to the original post, the way the figures are calculated can vary considerably, a lot depends on the survey data and how the questions were asked. Sometimes they are from general surveys, like the recent nursing survey that had a single question related to tinnitus among a great many others.

For example if the question is "have you ever experienced tinnitus?" then a lot will answer yes. Before I got this properly I had fleeting tinnitus for a few seconds at a time, I would have answered yes if it was described to me but I did not have tinnitus and shouldn't be counted in the group.

If the question is "have you experienced tinnitus for more than a few hours at a time?" then slightly less may answer yes - including those who have ever been to a concert or been clubbing and had it for a day or two, again should they really be counted?

If the question is "have you experienced tinnitus for a period of more than one month/' less again will answer and we then get to the core group who have really got / had it and should form part of the stats.

The data is often very different and there is a habit of aggregating the survey data from many different types of question into one end number. The numbers can only be estimates and very rough ones at that.

 

[markoana]

Getting back to the original post, the way the figures are calculated can vary considerably, a lot depends on the survey data and how the questions were asked. Sometimes they are from general surveys, like the recent nursing survey that had a single question related to tinnitus among a great many others.

For example if the question is "have you ever experienced tinnitus?" then a lot will answer yes. Before I got this properly I had fleeting tinnitus for a few seconds at a time, I would have answered yes if it was described to me but I did not have tinnitus and shouldn't be counted in the group.

If the question is "have you experienced tinnitus for more than a few hours at a time?" then slightly less may answer yes - including those who have ever been to a concert or been clubbing and had it for a day or two, again should they really be counted?

If the question is "have you experienced tinnitus for a period of more than one month/' less again will answer and we then get to the core group who have really got / had it and should form part of the stats.

The data is often very different and there is a habit of aggregating the survey data from many different types of question into one end number. The numbers can only be estimates and very rough ones at that.

Yes Steve, that is key, that is the main reason of information about those 50, 65, 100 millions of t. suffers worldwide, that stupid question: Have u ever experienced ringing ears? But if formulation of question is like u said "have u ever experienced more than 10 day or month of ringing ears" that would be data that would be beneficial for us!