The relationship between noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus has always been a source of debate and subject to continued research. Generally, a noise that seems to originate in the ear or head, typically experienced as a ringing or whistling sound, is mostly temporary and will soon disappear as unaccountably as it appeared.

However, it is recognised that in specific circumstances, exposure to loud noise can be a common and direct cause of tinnitus, most notably in the workplace or at music events. While most everyday causes of temporary hearing loss are the result of the build up of wax or ear infection, there are rare instances where tinnitus may be an early symptom of more serious hearing damage.

Recent German research now seems to suggest that the chief cause of tinnitus is according to the severity of hearing impairment.

A study of over 500 adult chronic tinnitus sufferers revealed that 83 per cent showed a high frequency hearing loss corresponding to a noise-induced hearing loss. Also, a significant link between mean hearing loss and tinnitus loudness was indicated.

Of the study group, those individuals suffering from ‘decompensated’ chronic tinnitus – the most severe form where the sufferer hears sounds caused by “interference” in the brain’s hearing system – had a greater degree of hearing loss than those with ‘compensated’ form of tinnitus where the sufferer registers but can cope with hearing the sounds. A further relationship was positively established between the degree of hearing loss and the two subscales of “intrusiveness” and “auditory perceptional difficulties” within the tinnitus survey.

Furthermore, the study demonstrated indirect evidence supporting the hypothesis that the degree of noise-induced hearing loss also influenced the severity of tinnitus. Overexposure to noise not only induces the hearing loss but also tinnitus and associated debilitating effects, often leading to a decreased quality of life.