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Tinnitus, an annoying noise in the ears that others don’t hear, affects people of all ages. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive solution to get rid of the discomfort.

As a victim, however, you are far from alone. According to a new study published in the Medical Journal Gamma Neurology14.4 percent of the world’s population suffers from tinnitus.

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The purpose of this study was to establish that tinnitus is a global problem that deserves more attention than it does today. The hope now, says Christopher Sedruth, is that the WHO will take tinnitus as seriously as other neurological diseases.

He explains that the study was conducted by collecting and analyzing all available tinnitus research:

We made a conscious decision to choose only high-quality data and found approximately 83 articles that we can use to make a global assessment of the prevalence of tinnitus.

They divided tinnitus into two groups. The group of 14.4 percent includes those who have had tinnitus only once in a while, those who have it occasionally and those who have it constantly — with more or less serious problems.

If we look at those with tinnitus so severe that they need treatment, the number was 2.3 percent and there’s a lot of them, says Christopher Siddruth.

Older people are 20 times more likely to be infected

In the data the researchers went through, there were signs that men would be more at risk than women, but there was nothing the researchers could find evidence of.

– But the interesting thing is that we were able to see that the older part of our population, aged 65 and over, is most at risk. They are 20 times more likely to be affected. It was a big surprise.

Were there also certain countries that stood out in the study?

– We lacked some information from Latin America, Africa and Oceania, but we can see that in Europe, Eastern Europe is most at risk – Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. We don’t know why. It is something we should look at in the future.

But this is just one of many questions researchers want answers to. But to get answers, more research resources are needed. Christopher Sedruth believes that given how common tinnitus is, and how much the problem affects people with it, tinnitus research is not given enough priority.

Tinnitus is as common as migraine headaches and chronic pain. There, however, they take diseases seriously and invest in research.

Christopher Siddruth continues:

For the past eight years, I have not received any money from the Swedish Research Council for my research. My funding came from Europe. Here in Sweden, they have chosen instead to invest in neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. I want to make a change there. I want the government to decide on special funding for tinnitus so that we can increase knowledge in Sweden.

Today, Germany, the USA and England are at the forefront of tinnitus research.

But Sweden has the potential to be a world leader in this field given the data and resources we have. Unfortunately, we chose to prioritize other things, which is a pity.

To relieve the symptoms of tinnitus

So what can 14.4% of the population do to alleviate tinnitus problems?

According to Christopher Sedruth, it is difficult to give an answer to this question because everyone sees their tinnitus differently.

– And that’s also something we’re looking at, why some things work with some, but not with others.

He explains that many people with tinnitus, for example, have trouble sleeping. When you go to bed it becomes so quiet around you that many people find that their tinnitus gets worse.

Some feel that the problems go away if they listen to music at a low volume, while others feel that it exacerbates the problems.

Some can also help with sleeping with the window open, thus having environmental sounds in the background.

But again: it doesn’t help everyone.

– If you live in a big city with a lot of traffic noise, this can make the situation worse, but even if you live in the countryside, in a quieter environment, it can also exacerbate the problems by making it too quiet outside instead Of that, says Christopher Sedruth.

continue:

Everyone should try to find what works for them. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive solution.

However, what has been demonstrated in several large studies is that cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, can relieve the anxiety that many people feel because of tinnitus.

Making sure to reduce stress in one’s life is also a good thing. We know that stress makes tinnitus worse. Then of course it is a good idea to avoid noisy environments such as concerts as much as possible.

Prevention is probably the best way to avoid infection. Studies have shown that the earlier you are exposed to loud noise, the more likely it is that your hearing will be negatively affected early in life.

This is why there is a concern among young people who listen to a lot of music and go to loud concerts that they will suffer measurable damage to their ears and hearing sooner. It is somewhat similar to diabetes. If you eat a lot and are already overweight by the age of 12, your risk of developing diabetes already at the age of 25 increases.

Is exposure to loud sounds multiple times enough for a person to experience tinnitus, or does it have to be something they are exposed to for a longer period of time?

– It is very individual, there is also a genetic risk factor. The risk of developing tinnitus is greater if it runs in the family. Some people have a genetic susceptibility, so if they are exposed to loud noises, the risk is greater that they will be affected than someone who does not have this vulnerability.