Like many chronic conditions, there’s a mental health aspect to tinnitus. Coping with the symptoms isn’t the only obstacle. It’s coping with the symptoms constantly never knowing for certain if they will go away. Unfortunately, for some people, tinnitus can lead to depression.
Persistent tinnitus has been connected to a higher instance of suicide, particularly among women, according to research published in the Journal of American Medical Association and performed by Stockholm Public Health Cohort (SPHC).
What’s The Link Between Tinnitus And Suicide?
So that they can establish any kind of connection between tinnitus and suicide, researchers at the SPHC surveyed about 70,000 individuals (Accurate, reliable results require large sample sizes).
Here are some of the results:
- 22.5% of the participants reported experiencing tinnitus.
- 9% of women with significant tinnitus had attempted suicide.
- Of the men with severe tinnitus, 5.5% had attempted suicide.
- Only 2.1% of respondents reported that their tinnitus had been diagnosed by a hearing professional.
The differences in suicide rates between men and women are clear, leading the experts to bring attention to the heightened dangers for women. These findings also suggest that a large portion of people experiencing tinnitus don’t get a diagnosis or get professional assistance. Not only are there therapies for tinnitus, lots of individuals experience relief by using hearing aids.
Are These Universal Findings?
Before any broad generalizations can be made, this study needs to be replicated in different areas of the world with different variables and population sizes. That being said, we shouldn’t disregard the concern in the meantime.
What’s The Underlying Meaning of This Research?
While this research suggests an increased risk of suicide for women with significant tinnitus, the study did not draw definitive conclusions as to why women had a higher risk of suicide than men. There are a variety of possible explanations, of course, but there’s nothing intrinsic in the data that points towards any of those arguments as more or less likely.
Some things to take note of:
Some Tinnitus is Not “Severe”
Most people who experience tinnitus symptoms don’t have “severe” tinnitus. That doesn’t mean modest or slight instances of tinnitus do not present their own challenges. But the statistical correlation between suicide and women with tinnitus was most pronounced (and, thus, denotes the biggest risk) with those who rated their tinnitus as severe.
Low Numbers of Respondents Were Diagnosed
Most of the respondents in this research who reported moderate to severe symptoms didn’t get diagnosed and that is probably the next most shocking conclusion.
This is, possibly, the most significant area of opportunity and one of the best ways to reduce suicide or other health concerns at the same time. Here are some of the numerous advantages that can come from tinnitus treatment:
- Tinnitus symptoms can be more efficiently controlled with treatment.
- Tinnitus is often a sign of hearing impairment, which can (and should) be treated.
- Depression is frequently improved with tinnitus treatment.
Tinnitus is Associated With Hearing Impairment
It’s estimated that 90 percent of individuals with tinnitus have hearing loss, and studies suggest that hearing aids help control the symptoms of tinnitus. In fact, some hearing aids are made with added features to help tinnitus symptoms. To discover if hearing aids can help you, schedule an appointment.
References
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2732497
