Does Hearing Loss Cause Tinnitus?

[Bleep]

I've read many times that hearing loss can be a cause of tinnitus yet here it says the opposite. If it's true that hearing loss causes tinnitus in the first place I'd like to read a reliable source of it.

 

[Tinniger]

Hearing loss and hidden hearing loss is one of the many concepts of tinnitus development. It can apply to some patients - and not to many others.
Nobody knows anything, everyone's in the dark...

 

[dpdx]

Not necessarily, my dad has mild hearing loss on R ear and he has no Tinnitus. Older people loose hearing and dont get tinnitus. I assume the reason why we have T is because we damaged the nerves.

 

[hans799]

There definitely seems to be a correlation between hearing loss and T. But there is no consensus about cause and effect.

Maybe the only thing that links hearing loss and tinnitus is that both can be caused by loud noise. After exposed to (chronic or impulse) loud noise, some people develop T, some HL, some both T and HL.

But again, no consensus on this either in the scientific community or on this forum.

Your best bet is to avoid loud noise.

 

[GregCA]

I've read many times that hearing loss can be a cause of tinnitus yet here it says the opposite.

That page doesn't say the opposite, it just says that not all T cases are hearing loss related. They go on to explain that some people don't have any difficulty hearing, yet they have T.

There is a very strong correlation between hearing loss and T. Many researchers believe that T is always a manifestation of something wrong in the auditory system.

If it's true that hearing loss causes tinnitus in the first place I'd like to read a reliable source of it.

You'll find many research papers and presentations on the internet if you spend a bit of time googling around. Pubmed is a good source.

 

[Autumnly]

I could see how it's not hearing loss alone that causes tinnitus but it still remains a major risk factor nonetheless. Not everyone with hearing loss will develop tinnitus, it's unfortunately still a big mystery why some people with hearing loss develop tinnitus and others don't. However, I wouldn't go as far as to say that hearing loss doesn't play any role in developing tinnitus.

Maladaptive plasticity in tinnitus-triggers, mechanisms and treatment

Spoiler

"Tinnitus is a phantom auditory sensation that reduces quality of life for millions worldwide and for which there is no medical cure. Most cases are associated with hearing loss caused by the aging process or noise exposure. Because exposure to loud recreational sound is common among youthful populations, young persons are at increasing risk. Head or neck injuries can also trigger the development of tinnitus, as altered somatosensory input can affect auditory pathways and lead to tinnitus or modulate its intensity. Emotional and attentional state may play a role in tinnitus development and maintenance via top-down mechanisms. Thus, military in combat are particularly at risk due to combined hearing loss, somatosensory system disturbances and emotional stress. Neuroscience research has identified neural changes related to tinnitus that commence at the cochlear nucleus and extend to the auditory cortex and brain regions beyond. Maladaptive neural plasticity appears to underlie these neural changes, as it results in increased spontaneous firing rates and synchrony among neurons in central auditory structures that may generate the phantom percept. This review highlights the links between animal and human studies, including several therapeutic approaches that have been developed, which aim to target the neuroplastic changes underlying tinnitus."

 

[grate_biff]

Not necessarily, my dad has mild hearing loss on R ear and he has no Tinnitus. Older people loose hearing and dont get tinnitus. I assume the reason why we have T is because we damaged the nerves.

For T to develop, I think one need a "dip" in ones hearing. General hearing loss, or presbycusis(age rel. HL) even sever, won´t necessary evoke T, bc it happens over time and the loss tends to even out through your hearing range.

However, if you were to experience an acoustic trauma(gunshot, misshap using headphones etc.) chances are you will generate a "gap/dip" i.e. a steep decline in your hearing, at a specific range(frequency).

In my opinion, when this happens, the brain can´t overlook the specific loss of input and thus T and (H might) develop(s). But when it comes to H, I think our outer HC play a bigger part ,resulting in Central Gain in our brains.

Look at my Avatar!!
It is my audiogram and bear in mind I have unilateral T. You can see the sharp decline in hearing in my right ear(red) at appr. 10.5-12.5 kHz.
Even though I have slightly more severe HL in my left ear(blue), it is more evened out and thus I have no T or H in my left ear!

Seems reasonable?

 

[Bleep]

That page doesn't say the opposite, it just says that not all T cases are hearing loss related. They go on to explain that some people don't have any difficulty hearing, yet they have T.

There is a very strong correlation between hearing loss and T. Many researchers believe that T is always a manifestation of something wrong in the auditory system.



You'll find many research papers and presentations on the internet if you spend a bit of time googling around. Pubmed is a good source.

But what does this mean then? "Although tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, it does not cause the loss, nor does a hearing loss cause tinnitus."

 

[GregCA]

But what does this mean then? "Although tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, it does not cause the loss, nor does a hearing loss cause tinnitus."

I think it would be clearer if they had stated "nor does a hearing loss NECESSARILY cause tinnitus." - which means there are times when it does, and times when it doesn't. We don't understand yet what makes one go to one set vs the other.

 

[Bleep]

I could see how it's not hearing loss alone that causes tinnitus but it still remains a major risk factor nonetheless. Not everyone with hearing loss will develop tinnitus, it's unfortunately still a big mystery why some people with hearing loss develop tinnitus and others don't. However, I wouldn't go as far as to say that hearing loss doesn't play any role in developing tinnitus.

Maladaptive plasticity in tinnitus-triggers, mechanisms and treatment

Spoiler

"Tinnitus is a phantom auditory sensation that reduces quality of life for millions worldwide and for which there is no medical cure. Most cases are associated with hearing loss caused by the aging process or noise exposure. Because exposure to loud recreational sound is common among youthful populations, young persons are at increasing risk. Head or neck injuries can also trigger the development of tinnitus, as altered somatosensory input can affect auditory pathways and lead to tinnitus or modulate its intensity. Emotional and attentional state may play a role in tinnitus development and maintenance via top-down mechanisms. Thus, military in combat are particularly at risk due to combined hearing loss, somatosensory system disturbances and emotional stress. Neuroscience research has identified neural changes related to tinnitus that commence at the cochlear nucleus and extend to the auditory cortex and brain regions beyond. Maladaptive neural plasticity appears to underlie these neural changes, as it results in increased spontaneous firing rates and synchrony among neurons in central auditory structures that may generate the phantom percept. This review highlights the links between animal and human studies, including several therapeutic approaches that have been developed, which aim to target the neuroplastic changes underlying tinnitus."

I think it would be clearer if they had stated "nor does a hearing loss NECESSARILY cause tinnitus." - which means there are times when it does, and times when it doesn't. We don't understand yet what makes one go to one set vs the other.

my bad, i misread it. thanks!

 

[Contrast]

Everyone with "noise induced T" has some degree of hearing loss.
Just because you pass a standard 8000 hz audiogram at your local audiologist doesn't mean you don't have damage to the auditory nerve.

 

[MajaC]

No necessary. In my case, yes, but I know people who have tinnitus and don't have hearing loss.

 

[jeff W]

it's pretty obvious one would think.

 

[jeff W]

I've read many times that hearing loss can be a cause of tinnitus yet here it says the opposite. If it's true that hearing loss causes tinnitus in the first place I'd like to read a reliable source of it.