I suffer from tinnitus. Is there a treatment?
Twice a month, a specialist from the Geneva University Hospitals answers a public health question.
Buzzing, hissing or pulsating, it is estimated that between 12 and 18% of the population
Swiss suffers from tinnitus.
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Tinnitus is extraneous noise that a person hears outside of any external sound source. Buzzing, whistling or pulsating, it is estimated that between 12 and 18% of the Swiss population suffers from it. If they are not considered a disease, they can nevertheless be the cause of great psychological suffering.
Tinnitus is caused by a malfunction in the auditory system. They can be due to multiple factors: aging, sequelae of otitis, taking drugs toxic to the ear, tumors or damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve following exposure to very loud sounds. high intensity.
If you suffer from tinnitus, you should first consult an ENT doctor. He will carry out a complete examination, to exclude certain pathologies. Be aware, however, that in the majority of cases, the cause of these extraneous noises is not identified.
At the present time, there are also no treatments that can make them disappear. However, it is possible to make them less annoying. If hearing loss is detected, a hearing aid can be fitted to amplify external sounds. The tinnitus is then masked and perceived as less strong.
Hypnosis, sophrology, mindfulness meditation and cognitive-behavioral therapies have also proven themselves. People with tinnitus often have a feeling of loss of control and many say they worry about not hearing the silence anymore. If this happens to you, these therapies will help you regain some form of control.
They will teach you to focus your attention elsewhere than on your tinnitus, in order to tame it and regain a better quality of life. Finally, it is important to remain optimistic, because the vast majority of people learn to live with it and eventually adapt.
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