Tinnitus

The word “Tinnitus” describes the sensation of hearing a noise in the absence of any external sound. The sounds may be heard in the ears or somewhere in the head. For many people tinnitus has a ringing quality, others may experience hissing, humming or droning sounds, or even tunes and songs. It may be steady or pulsating, intermittent or persistent. There may be several noises in one or both ears, or in the head. Most people experience brief and occasional tinnitus.

Tinnitus is not a disease or an illness, but usually a symptom of a fault somewhere in the hearing system. It may accompany deafness or balance problems, or there may be no other symptoms. The precise nature of the mechanism causing tinnitus is still not understood. There are many known causes, which include: ear infections, exposure to loud noise, stress, medication, diet, trauma to the head or ear, ear disease and loss of hearing. There may be more than one cause of a person’s tinnitus.

We have regular meetings for patients suffering from tinnitus. If you would like to attend please ring the Audiology department – the number can be found by clicking the ‘Contact Us’ button above.

For more information about tinnitus please see tinnitus.org.uk