Skip to content

Bringing More Knowledge About Tinnitus

Access to reliable information and effective treatments varies globally. Efforts to publish scientific insights and practical advice aim to bridge this gap, ensuring that more people can access the help they need. By gathering and sharing reliable information, we can improve understanding and management of tinnitus worldwide.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus comes from the Latin word “tinnire”, meaning “ringing, clinking or rattling”, and is a common condition experienced by about 15-20 percent of the world’s population. Around 2-3 percent of the world’s population experience bothersome issues due to this condition. A further 2-3 percent have severe, life-threatening tinnitus, which greatly affects their quality of life. Tinnitus can be caused by many different factors such as stress, illness, hearing loss, noise and side effects of medication.

Tinnitus can occur suddenly but may also develop over a long period of time and affect all ages, although it is most common among the elderly. It can also be hereditary. People suffering from tinnitus may experience problems such as difficulty in focusing, fatigue and anxiety – factors that all have a strong impact on one’s quality of life.

Currently, one-in-six Swedes claim to experience tinnitus. For the majority of those afflicted, the symptoms are mild, but for others, they can be extremely stressful. It is also estimated that 30 percent of the world’s population will experience tinnitus at some point in their lives. This figure is expected to increase, in part due to the increasing use of in-ear headphones and loud music, but also due to the increasing number of people who are suffering from stress and depression. In addition to this, our life expectancy today is much higher than what it was in the past.