Close link between tinnitus and hyperacusis
Many people who suffer from tinnitus also experience hyperacusis. But so far not many studies have investigated the relationship.
Hyperacusis is a condition where you experience enhanced sensitivity to sounds.
Tinnitus is noises in the head, not related to any psychiatric condition. Tinnitus is also often called ringing in the ears.
3.5 times more likely
A Swedish study found a very close relationship between tinnitus and hyperacusis. In the study, people with tinnitus was 3.5 times more likely to have hyperacusis than people with no tinnitus.
The relationship between severe tinnitus and hyperacusis was even stronger. The occurrence of hyperacusis in severe tinnitus is as high as 80%, showing a very close relationship.
In the study, there were no differences between the genders in the association between hyperacusis and tinnitus.
About the study
A total of 3,645 people participated in the study. 1,984 had tinnitus, whereas 1,661 did not have tinnitus. The participants were enrolled via LifeGene, a study from the general Swedish population.
The study, “Association between Hyperacusis and Tinnitus”, was published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Sources: pmlegacy.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and the Journal of Clinical Medicine