Excruciating tinnitus

One million suffer from “constant ringing” in their ears

Annoying ringing in the ears is a problem for many people.

(Bild: Africa Studio/stock.adobe.com)

It whistles, buzzes or beeps in your ears. Almost everyone has had to deal with such noises at some point. For a short time, this is completely normal, but it can also become chronic. What should you do if the "ringing" persists or occurs repeatedly?

According to statistics from the Austrian Tinnitus League (ÖTL), up to one million people in Austria suffer from recurring noises, with around 200,000 of these suffering from chronic tinnitus. This is considered incurable. "Many people have a short-lived whistling that goes away after around two minutes. Sufferers who still have the noise have to learn to deal with it. There is no approved medication to make the whistling, hissing or beeping simply disappear," explains OA Dr. Christoph Balber, ENT specialist at the Ordensklinikum Linz Barmherzige Schwestern.

Numerous causes
There is rarely a single cause. It is a spontaneous or abnormal activity in the auditory system. The main risk factors include noise pollution, hearing loss and stress. Stressful situations in particular should not be underestimated. Some people only notice it when they come home from work in the evening and the tension and pressure ease.

Acoustic blast trauma (fireworks or a gunshot) can also trigger tinnitus if the hearing is briefly exposed to an extreme source of noise. It is also important to be careful with very loud music through headphones. So-called "in-ear plugs" in particular are more dangerous than the usual models.

"If the noise occurs for the first time on Friday evening, for example, and persists, it would be advisable to consult an ENT doctor after the weekend," says Dr. Balber. However, if the annoying companion in the ear still hasn't gone away after a few weeks, the doctor says it is unlikely to disappear again.

There is help for those affected
It is then important to find therapeutic measures to alleviate the symptoms. Those affected learn techniques to better process the tinnitus or to suppress it. In addition, treatment options for various accompanying illnesses such as concentration disorders, headaches or sleep disorders can be discussed with specialists. Exploration of the psychological situation or modification of the life situation, for example through psychotherapy, can also be helpful.