Increase of Tinnitus

[Lena C.]

Hello, Dr Nagler !
Do you think that tinnitus necessarily increases with time?
I speak here of a tinnitus related acoustic trauma.
Thank you very much for your answer,
I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Hello, Dr Nagler !
Do you think that tinnitus necessarily increases with time?
I speak here of a tinnitus related acoustic trauma.
Thank you very much for your answer,
I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Excellent question, @Lena C.

You would think that with advancing age and the resultant presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) tinnitus would tend to get louder over time because the natural masking effect of environmental sounds decreases with the increased hearing loss. Turns out that some longitudinal studies done on older tinnitus patients who were followed for a number of years at (I believe) the Oregon Hearing Research Center showed that over time the brain tends to over-compensate - and in general tinnitus tends to decrease with time instead of increasing with time.

And a Merry Christmas back at ya!

Dr. Stephen Nagler

 

[Rube]

Hi Dr. Nagler, Happy Holidays!
I just saw you answered someone's question about tinnitus loudness over time with this:

You would think that with advancing age and the resultant presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) tinnitus would tend to get louder over time because the natural masking effect of environmental sounds decreases with the increased hearing loss. Turns out that some longitudinal studies done on older tinnitus patients who were followed for a number of years at (I believe) the Oregon Hearing Research Center showed that over time the brain tends to over-compensate - and in general tinnitus tends to decrease with time instead of increasing with time.

Is this study available to read? I searched a bit and couldn't find, I find your answer interesting that the study found that t decreases with time. Was that a subjective evaluation from the patients or were there tests performed to reach that conclusion?

Thank you
Rube

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Hi @Rube -

The study came up many years ago during a discussion with Dr. Jack Vernon, who sadly died in 2010 at the age of 88. I assumed it was an OHSU study, because that's where Dr. Vernon worked. I have never actually seen the study, nor do I know if it was ever published.

Wish I could be of more help.

Dr. Stephen Nagler