Tinnitus survey looks into effects of lockdown on hearing condition

One in six people in Australia suffer from chronic tinnitus - the debilitating and irreversible hearing ailment characterised by ringing in the ears. Yet little research has been done to find solutions and improve treatments.

Now scientist Dee Domingo, from Flinder's University's Audiology Department, is embarking on new research to see if sufferers of the condition fared worse during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Dr Domingo, from Wyhalla, said tinnitus is a hidden disease. "Because it's not visible, many people simply don't know it exists, yet it deserves our full attention and focus," she said.

Dr Domingo's team is conducting a survey, in conjunction with Macquarie University, to learn how people with tinnitus coped with their condition through COVID-19 when lockdown and isolation may have amplified the effects and annoyance of the condition.

"Many people with tinnitus were living alone with this constant audio annoyance, and without other distractions during lockdown it would have been at the forefront of their thinking at every waking moment," says Dr Domingo.

"When you have nothing else to distract you, the noise produced by tinnitus becomes most bothersome, especially when you are attempting to get to sleep.

"It became their primary focus, and it loomed large as the most upsetting part of their life - at worst, it has developed into a mental health problem. Our survey needs to understand the true depth of this situation."

Dr Domingo says the key to her tinnitus survey, which she expects to finish within a year, is highlighting the voice of patients in the research - and making them active participants in the research process.

"We have to have a holistic view to move forward with tinnitus treatment, to stop people from feeling as though they are dealing with this condition in isolation. Information is power."

Dr Domingo is also working with Professor Raj Shekhawat on a three-year project at Flinders University with South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) investigating the use of non-invasive brain stimulation for tinnitus management.

"We're trying to find the neural networks that underlie tinnitus and use that information to inform new treatments or therapy options. This is the area that hasn't been plumbed enough.

"It's the type of disease that is hard to understand if someone hasn't experienced it, which is why we are going directly to patients for their involvement, to best understand their ongoing problems with tinnitus," said Dr Domingo.

Dr Domingo said the explorations of neural networks may provide the key to find new answers and solutions for tinnitus treatment.

"Tracking the neural networks will finally give us a visual representation of how tinnitus occurs and the damage it inflicts," she said.

"It will paint a literal picture of what causes it, and that's the first step on the path to finding solutions."

Professor Raj Shekhawat said the research will go to better informing the public about hearing health.

"Tinnitus is not a disease, but an associated symptom - and in 99.9 per cent of circumstances it is inflicted damage that triggers tinnitus. It is not just going to happen of its own accord," he said.

"It can be self-inflicted, through exposure to extreme loud music, for example, or industrial noise - and that once the tiny hairs on the cochlear in the inner ear are damaged, even the slightest bit, they can never be regenerated.

"It is a sense lost forever - and that changes people's perception once they understand that."

For more information about the tinnitus survey and trails being conducted at Flinders University, contact Dr Dee Domingo on (08) 7221 8828 or email deepti.domingo@flinders.edu.au

Dr Domingo and Professor Shekhawat's message is a timely reminder about hearing awareness on the eve of World Hearing Day on March 3, which encourages people to have their hearing tested.

Did you know hearing loss costs Australia $15 billion a year in health system costs and lost productivity, and is more common than heart disease, cancer and diabetes?

Yet hearing loss (and related ear diseases) can be avoided through preventative actions such as protection against loud sounds, good ear care practices and immunisation.

World Hearing Day is about preventing deafness and hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care across the world. It coincides with Hearing Awareness Week in Australia.

The theme of the day is Hearing care for all, with a focus on screening, rehabilitation and communication. This World Hearing Day also marks the launch of the World Health Organisation's World Report on Hearing, a global call for action to address hearing loss and ear diseases.

People at risk of hearing loss should get screened regularly. If you're concerned about your hearing, see your GP who may refer you to an audiologist.