Is Tinnitus Becoming More Common?

[UKJon]

Is tinnitus becoming more common?

Will it affect a whole new generation and are tinnitus victims getting younger?

How many people do you know with tinnitus?

Many pubs, bars, concerts and clubs still seem to operate on the basis that louder/loudest is best. And loud music goes directly into the ear via ipod and MP3.

Are people in denial?

 

[slipware]

I know 4 people with tinnitus. One a musician, but three others no idea where it came from. Mine was TIA. All of my friends are able to function almost as normal, I'm still struggling. Yes I think it is getting more common. Music is never better when it's blaringly loud!!

 

[Paul10]

Society is getting louder so hearing problems in general are unfortunately becoming more common. The good news is that hearing research really picked up in 2016. By the time it gets to epidemic levels, I'm confident much more progress will have been made and it won't be as much of a big deal. Positivity is key!

 

[Rasmus]

I know 4 people that have T 5 with my self. Ye T IS AND WILL be more commen if you look into computer games/console games, most people use headset there, and gaming is getting alot more popular. Its sad that it is like that and the only good thing i can say about this is that there will come more research into T and hearing loss because of that.

 

[Rubenslash]

Its common but most tend to have it very mild I think, only hearing when they are in bed or a silent room.

 

[Rasmus]

Its common but most tend to have it very mild I think, only hearing when they are in bed or a silent room.

Ye i wish mine was like that :/

 

[Bidyut saha]

I'm confident much more progress will have been made

I m also confident but how long after it WILL be ? One day is like more than one year bro..
Sorry for asking like a stupid.

 

[Paul10]

I m also confident but how long after it WILL be ? One day is more than one year bro..
Sorry for asking like a stupid.

I think sooner rather than later. 2016 has been called 'the year of the ear' because of the focus placed on hearing. There are many companies racing to the multi billion-dollar pot of gold waiting for them, most of which are doing so without publicising it. Take this as an example;
https://endpts.com/another-langer-b...ims-for-the-clinic-with-hearing-loss-therapy/
We had no idea these guys were working away all this time. How many other companies are doing this? What other research is being done? I'm a European and I certainly don't think the American Big Pharma is sitting on their hands; they are the global leaders of this. People can be pessimistic on here, I'd advise not paying attention to that. Be optimistic. Look up and read about the breakthroughs in brain-limb connection for paralyzed patients in 2016. No one would have believed it possible in 2014. Always be positive.

 

[Bidyut saha]

I think sooner rather than later. 2016 has been called 'the year of the ear' because of the focus placed on hearing. There are many companies racing to the multi billion-dollar pot of gold waiting for them, most of which are doing so without publicising it. Take this as an example;
https://endpts.com/another-langer-b...ims-for-the-clinic-with-hearing-loss-therapy/
We had no idea these guys were working away all this time. How many other companies are doing this? What other research is being done? I'm a European and I certainly don't think the American Big Pharma is sitting on their hands; they are the global leaders of this. People can be pessimistic on here, I'd advise not paying attention to that. Be optimistic. Look up and read about the breakthroughs in brain-limb connection for paralyzed patients in 2016. No one would have believed it possible in 2014. Always be positive.

Thank u bro for ur informations. I know one day we will be released. But sometimes I couldn't keep me cool. Feeling very lonely and frustrated.

 

[Paul10]

Thank u bro for ur informations. I know one day we will be released. But sometimes I couldn't keep me cool. Feeling very lonely and frustrated.

I know how you feel. I'm new to T and was in an extremely dark place only last week. I see you are in France which is good because France has a good healthcare system and you will find the help you need by getting in touch with the right people through it. You're best to speak to two types of professionals (which I did, after going through several GPs, doctors, and ENT). Firstly, a psychiatrist who can evaluate your mental state and talk you through the best treatment option. Secondly, an audiologist or hearing therapist who specialises in tinnitus. Have them know each other (exchange their emails; your psychiatrist will likely want to do this anyway, so they are on the same page). You will perhaps be given medication in the short-term, other medication perhaps for longer-term, and recommended for cognitive treatment for long-term. It's not for everyone here, but I have Valium (Diazepam) if I get really bad. It works within 30 minutes to an hour and in the beginning, it saved me. Knowing it's in my cupboard is reassuring. I'm also on two different medications and they are monitored, along with cognitive treatment I am starting with a hearing therapist specialising in tinnitus. It's a long road, but the road does have an end. You just have to stick it out. The common theme you will find in the success stories here is positivity. The brain's plasticity needs a positive attitude and outlook. It can be difficult, I know as much as anyone, but tell yourself it even if you don't feel it. Good luck and God bless your recovery!

 

[Alue]

I don't think so. Yes noise pollution and continual noise exposure is a relatively modern phenomenon, but I don't think the recent past was quiet as people here make it out to be.

People may not have had ipods, but they did have boom boxes and loud stereos. People went to loud concerts. Many went to war without hearing protection, it turns out guns, bombs, and airplanes are kind of loud.
Many people worked in manufacturing with no hearing protection.

 

[SilverSpiral]

I don't think so. Yes noise pollution and continual noise exposure is a relatively modern phenomenon, but I don't think the recent past was quiet as people here make it out to be.

People may not have had ipods, but they did have boom boxes and loud stereos. People went to loud concerts. Many went to war without hearing protection, it turns out guns, bombs, and airplanes are kind of loud.
Many people worked in manufacturing with no hearing protection.

Yeah and I suspect even examples like military weapons are generally getting quieter as they become more modern, and couple that with protection being used...

We are kind of in a weird period. Sometimes I see landscapers using these new electric lawn mowers that are super quiet, they seriously have to be below 80db or something, and they have big muffs on. But of course there are plenty of examples of modern things that expose people to dangerous sound, where people don't use protection.

 

[Jason C]

The headphone generation are asking for it I think. So many I hear their music blasting in their in ear headphones. That loud I can hear it over traffic. That can't be good. On the other hand I wish I could use headphones, I never did before T anyway apart from on holidays but I do wish I could do that now (at safe volume of course)

 

[william adams]

No doubt about it that T is going to reach epidemic proportions. I sometimes talk to young people in the gym when I can hear their earbuds blasting and ask them if they have ever had ringing in their ears and most say yes but it goes away. Then I tell them that I have T and the ringing is from morning till night and never leaves. Generally they will ask doesnt it drive you crazy and I comment keep blasting the music and you will have to deal with the constant high pitched electrical sound and all other noise in your head that only you will hear. The young folks constantly bom barding them selves with ear damaging noise from all these devices they constantly use...I am 69 and was with five friends the other day and three of us have T. Young folks need to be educated about ear damage from loud noise and the consequences....

 

[RockyDoctah]

I have T and I'm only 14 years old. But I've had it since I was 13. Had it for almost a year, too.

 

[Karl28]

It'd because kids now have phones with music on them

 

[Headrush13]

Is tinnitus becoming more common?

Will it affect a whole new generation and are tinnitus victims getting younger?

How many people do you know with tinnitus?

Many pubs, bars, concerts and clubs still seem to operate on the basis that louder/loudest is best. And loud music goes directly into the ear via ipod and MP3.

Are people in denial?

Yes it is going to be a problem in near future. We hear media debating about why a certain brand removed headphone jack from their phone but never hear someone actually discussing their negative effects in long term usage.
Diversion plays a role. Profits is their key motive.

 

[Morg]

I think it's going to be an epidemic. Think about all those people with their car stereos cranking and trunks rattling from the volume. Or the headphones that you can hear from many seats away on a loud bus or train. Or the crazy loud clubs people go to without earplugs. I think it's just a matter of time unfortunately.

 

[Bidyut saha]

Secondly, an audiologist or hearing therapist who specialises in tinnitus.

OK I will find a audiologist soon. I feeling also some light pain in my right ear since few days.
Best

 

[Fangen]

People I know that have T:

Mom - she got it from working in loud factories when she was young without hearing protection
Sister - been on benzos for the last 7 years. Probably got her T from medication
Co-worker - seems he have had it for a long time, have had issues with his ears since kid so seems to be tube problems.
2nd co-worker - got temporary (not sure if it got permanent) T from a cold.

It seems to be a mix of everything, I think T is more common than we think.

 

[Paul10]

People I know that have T:

Mom - she got it from working in loud factories when she was young without hearing protection
Sister - been on benzos for the last 7 years. Probably got her T from medication
Co-worker - seems he have had it for a long time, have had issues with his ears since kid so seems to be tube problems.
2nd co-worker - got temporary (not sure if it got permanent) T from a cold.

It seems to be a mix of everything, I think T is more common than we think.

Very much so; and like you pointed out, it can be for endless reasons and unique as a snowflake. That's why I believe there is treatment for everyone; it's just about finding the right solution for your individual T. Positivity is key. I'm having a bad day today - but it'll get better.

 

[Capricornus]

When I got T I wrote to almost all of my friends who are musicians/likes to go to raves - 2/3 of them told me they have T themselves. They do not suffer and told me it gets better. Most of them use hearing protection now.

 

[GregCA]

It seems to be a mix of everything, I think T is more common than we think.

The "garden variety" of T is very common indeed (stats easily found online). Severe/Intrusive/Debilitating T is much less common, but it's still about 1% of the population (again, stats easily found online), which I find quite significant.

The odds you would find someone else with severe T is small: you will statistically find people with mild T, and I would not be surprised if told you how you should simply not think about it, run a fan in the background, and get busy. You'll be impressed about how well they overcome the adversity. I'm not sure they actually get what it is to be debilitated by it - as they may wonder "how can someone with this slight hum be so bothered? they must have some weird thing going on in their head... this isn't that bad at all".

Of course when they talk to doctors, they end up spreading the impression that T isn't that serious of a condition, which leads to the current dead end we all know too well in the medical space.

So don't be surprised you'll come across many people with T, but few will actually be bothered enough that they'll join a forum like this. We are "special" in that regard.

 

[Canador]

Go to the NEWS section in Google, and type in "tinnitus."

You'll find many recent news articles in which hearing professionals claim that hearing loss, tinnitus, and sound sensitivity are dramatically increasing, especially in kids. Hyperacusis is also now frequently mentioned.

 

[Krish230]

I think it's going to be an epidemic. Think about all those people with their car stereos cranking and trunks rattling from the volume. Or the headphones that you can hear from many seats away on a loud bus or train. Or the crazy loud clubs people go to without earplugs. I think it's just a matter of time unfortunately.

Completely agree. I got my T from one clubbing night where the music was stupidly loud - 110Db or more, is my best guess. I have warned a few of my friends about it but generally my advice has fallen on deaf ears (if you'll pardon the pun ).

 

[MrBonk]

Probably has always been very common. It's just not socially out there.

Just imagine if Donald Trump spent 1 billion of that proposed 54 Billion for more money towards tools of death and war (And auditory damage) , on research towards hearing loss, H and Tinnitus for veterans.

 

[Samir]

Very interesting question! It's something I have been wondering too. It's something we all have probably thought about at some point. I read that ancient Egyptians knew about tinnitus 2000 years BCE. So it's been around for over 4500 years!

I would love to see some statistics on tinnitus for the past 100 years at least. But then again, who's keeping track? No one seems to care enough. It's not a "disease" and "you can learn to live with it". The attitude by medical professionals is totally disgusting!

It's only in last few decades that we have seen an increased interest, mainly thanks to researchers, many of whom actually suffer from tinnitus themselves. I would also attributed it to rise in number of tinnitus cases and new communication technologies like the Internet.

In many countries, the local support groups are very small, and that makes them feel like they are alone. Many don't even have a website. It's only when they reach out to other sufferers in other countries that they realize that their number is much larger.

I knew almost nothing about tinnitus until I got it. I knew about "ringing in the ears" but I never knew that this is the same thing as "tinnitus", or that this thing could become permanent.

I would say that tinnitus is on the rise. Definitely! The growth curve is likely exponential.

Is it affecting younger people more than before? Definitely! Many educational videos I have seen talk about people in their 60s. By that measure I am already there, and I am only in my 30s. My audiogram is very much normal by the way, but a few noise recent incidents may have caused me hidden hearing loss at around 6 kHz.

How many people I know with tinnitus? If temporary "ringing of the ears" that comes and goes counts, then that would mean pretty much everyone I know. I would call that tinnitus, even if it's not permanent. That's where you have to start if you want to prevent it. But you need to be educated to recognize it as a pathological sign. I wasn't, I didn't! In fact we used to play a guessing game when the ear rings for one of us, where the other person tries to guess if it's left or right ear. I didn't recognize that as "tinnitus".

 

[PaulBe]

A workable therapy comes along? You watch medicine climb all over it to claim it for their own to administer.

 

[TinnitusSicko]

Very interesting question! It's something I have been wondering too. It's something we all have probably thought about at some point. I read that ancient Egyptians knew about tinnitus 2000 years BCE. So it's been around for over 4500 years!

Correction, it's been around for over 4500+ years. The people did not report tinnitus because they though they are under demonic influence etc....

I would love to see some statistics on tinnitus for the past 100 years at least. But then again, who's keeping track? No one seems to care enough. It's not a "disease" and "you can learn to live with it". The attitude by medical professionals is totally disgusting!

Yes, I love to see statistics. Instead waiting for somebody to do it, we should start it by ourselves. Too late for us to cure ourselves with it but perhaps for future generation....

I knew almost nothing about tinnitus until I got it. I knew about "ringing in the ears" but I never knew that this is the same thing as "tinnitus", or that this thing could become permanent.

Me too, I am a hard of hearing since I was an infant. Ten years ago when I visit audiologist for new hearing aids, she asked me if I am suffering from tinnitus. I did not have any idea what that is. I also though how silly it is to have ringing in ears. Now I know :-( and it feels very sickening and depressing. Like in the poem ... a noble health that nobody appreciate it until one looses it....

I would say that tinnitus is on the rise. Definitely! The growth curve is likely exponential.

Be carefully here, because you must include human population growth, self awareness factors, medical acceptance factors ( it is a medical condition not a demonic one)
Epidemic not necessarily mean due to virus and bacteria. It could also mean toxicological one or raise in use of new technologies that are not completely understood yet (but assumed that they are understood).

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287938169

 

[Samir]

Instead waiting for somebody to do it, we should start it by ourselves.

It's still early in, but this is what patient groups are trying to do now. This is one of those things that I think Tinnitus Hub and this community can greatly contribute to. By working together with the TRI and TINNET research groups.