Episode 10: Coronavirus Special: Tinnitus in Times of Quarantine

[Tinnitus Talk]

Hi everybody!

In this special compilation episode, you'll hear from four people with tinnitus, as well as a researcher and an audiologist, about tinnitus experiences during the Coronavirus crisis. How has the stress of the crisis impacted people's tinnitus? Can the Coronavirus cause tinnitus to aggravate? What kind of support is available for people struggling during this time?

Tinnitus Talk contributors are: @Liz Windsor, @Jack Straw, @Steve and @Ed209. Ed actually was infected by the Coronavirus and speaks about how his tinnitus was affected. Our expert contributors are Dr. Raj Shekhawat (UCL) and audiologist Alan Hopkirk. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

It's the first time we tried out this new format – interviewing 6 different people and then tying it all together. It was a lot of work and a good learning experience.

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Listen on:

• Tinnitus Talk Podcast (incl. timestamps and transcript)
  
• SoundCloud
  
• iTunes
  
• Spotify

We welcome any discussion, but please keep the following in mind when commenting:

• Off-topic comments, i.e. not directly responding to the content of the podcast, will be removed. So please do listen before commenting!
• While we welcome constructive criticism on ideas or policies, we do not tolerate direct attacks on individuals.

We also thank our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. We particularly welcome our two new Patron Saints (our highest support tier): @Jefferson Nunn and @BBakkers. You can become one too for only 2 dollars per month! It means a lot to us that 60 listeners have already chosen to support our volunteer efforts.

This episode was produced, as usual, by @Markku and @Hazel and @Autumnly. Do you want to join our team as well? Let us know!

Don't forget to:

• Send Ideas and Suggestions for Future Podcast Episodes

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Share the podcast on your social media and with your tinnitus friends!

Oh, and just as a teaser: our next episode will be an interview with Thanos Tzounopoulos!

 

[Hazel]

I just want to add that we had a number of members coming forward to take part in this interview and we weren't able to follow up with everyone. I specifically want to thank @MadsWithT for his time spent recording with us. That recording in the end didn't fit within the episode so well. But he did have lots of interesting things to say about his Lenire experience, so I'm thinking maybe we should create a Lenire User Experience episode and interview Mads for that!

 

[Ed209]

Who's that loser at the start?

You can hear me breathing like a serial killer on a phone call . I can tell my breathing was affected.

I enjoyed hearing about other people's experiences and it was cool to note that the Terminator, aka Steve, doesn't stop training for no one. The gym comes to him instead

 

[glynis]

I'm on 12 weeks total isolation by NHS and Government due to the coronavirus as a severe asthmatic. This could be until a vaccine or medication is found as it would kill me off if got the virus.

Can't leave the house. I can only go out to my outdoor area.

Stay home, save lives and stay safe.

love Glynis

 

[Jack Straw]

Very nice episode!

 

[Ed209]

Very nice episode!

My least favourite part was the annoying guy from New York.

 

[mikejohnno]

I'm on 12 weeks total isolation by NHS and Government due to the coronavirus as a severe asthmatic. This could be until a vaccine or medication is found as it would kill me off if got the virus.

Can't leave the house. I can only go out to my outdoor area.

Stay home, save lives and stay safe.

love Glynis

How are you Glynis?

Michael

 

[glynis]

How are you Glynis?

Michael

Hi, I'm doing really well, thank you.

I will be back to work soon and, like others, I will be a little worried about a second wave of COVID-19.

Life must go on and can't wrap ourselves in cotton but need use all the precautions and protective equipment as needed.

Staying positive as we learn to keep ourselves as safe as possible.

Love Glynis

 

[Frédéric]

The Effect of Environmental Stressors on Tinnitus: A Prospective Longitudinal Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of a corresponding sound, and the distress caused by it, is rarely a static phenomenon. It rather fluctuates over time depending on endogenous and exogenous factors. The COVID-19 pandemic is a potential environmental stressor that might influence the individually perceived tinnitus distress. Since not all people are affected by the pandemic in the same way, the situation allows one to identify environmental factors and personality traits that impact tinnitus distress differently. In our study, 122 tinnitus patients were included at two time points: in the year 2018 and during the German lockdown in April 2020. We assessed tinnitus-related distress, depressive symptoms, personality characteristics and the individual perception of the pandemic situation. On average, there was only a small increase of tinnitus distress with heterogeneous changes during the lockdown. People perceiving the situation as generally stressful with increased grief, frustration, stress and nervousness reported the worsening of tinnitus distress. People with high values in neuroticism also reported the worsening of tinnitus distress, while the personality traits extraversion, conscientiousness and openness seemed to be a protection factor. The study identifies factors that influence tinnitus distress change during a pandemic and spots those patients that need specific help in the pandemic situation.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

A major breakout of Coronavirus has happened again in my area. Health officials have always said to wear surgical masks as cloth is ineffective.