WEBVTT

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Tinnitus is the blanket term
for noises in the ears.

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The word comes from the Latin
and means “ringing”.

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However the noise heard
by people with tinnitus

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may also be a
whistle, hum, buzz, whooshing,

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click or tapping sound.

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It may be heard in one or both ears.

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For many people it feels as if the noise

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is coming from their head;

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for others it appears to be coming
from outside.

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The volume of the noise can vary:

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sometimes it is barely audible,
then very loud again.

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Tinnitus may only last for brief periods.

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However it may also be permanent,
or come and go.

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If it lasts for more than three months

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it is referred to as chronic tinnitus.

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Tinnitus can be, but is not necessarily,

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associated with hearing loss.

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Most people with tinnitus
have normal hearing.

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The symptoms are often relatively mild:

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they are irritating but people can learn
to live with them.

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However for some of those affected

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the noises in their ears are so loud
that they have a significant effect

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on everyday life and quality of life.

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They can cause constant stress

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and affect concentration and sleep.

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This can sometimes even
make people prone to depression,

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or trigger a depressive episode.

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On the other hand
the symptoms and irritations

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caused by chronic tinnitus

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can sometimes fade over the years.

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It is caused in most cases by noise

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damaging the sensory cells
in the cochlea in the inner ear.

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It is particularly prevalent in people

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who spend lots of time in loud environments

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or who experience “blast trauma”
following a brief, extremely loud noise

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such as a shot or explosion
in their immediate vicinity.

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The reason why tinnitus develops,

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when hearing is damaged by noise
and what exactly happens when it does

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has not been conclusively established.

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This makes effective treatment difficult.

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One theory out of many others is

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that the damaged
or irritated sensory cells in the cochlea

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stop sending signals to the brain.

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The nerve cells
in the brain’s auditory center respond

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to the absence
of real signals with increased activity,

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sending “phantom signals”, similar to the
“phantom pain” felt after an amputation.

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However there are also other
possible causes of tinnitus

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such as:

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• earwax blocking the auditory canal

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• burst eardrum

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• maxillary muscle
or temporomandibular joint disorders

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• high blood pressure (hypertension)

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• taking certain types of medication

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• or various inner ear disorders

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Tinnitus may also occur entirely
for no apparent reason

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but if so it normally does not last longer
than a minute.

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If the tinnitus is not caused by noise
but is clearly caused by something else,

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it will improve when that cause is removed.

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In other cases there are no treatments

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that have been scientifically proven
to be effective.

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Cognitive behavioral therapy

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where those affected learn
how to cope with the noises in their ear

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appears to be the only option for improving

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the quality of life
of people with chronic tinnitus.

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In short:

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Tinnitus is the blanket term

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for various types of noises in the ears,
most of which only last a short time

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but can also last very long.

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Their intensity can also vary.

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The noises are often merely irritating,

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and do not cause any other discomfort.

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However chronic tinnitus
can affect quality of life.

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It is caused in most cases by noise
damaging the cells in the ear,

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but there are also other causes.

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If the tinnitus has a known cause

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it will improve
when the cause is removed.

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If the cause is not known

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cognitive behavioral therapy
is the only recognized option

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for improving quality of life.