Study: Insomnia takes toll on tinnitus patients

For the more than 36 million people plagued by tinnitus, insomnia can have a negative effect on the condition, worsening the functional and emotional toll of chronic ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking in the head and ears, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

The study shows a significant association between insomnia and the severity of perceived tinnitus symptoms, with patients with insomnia reporting greater emotional distress from tinnitus.

"Tinnitus involves cognitive, emotional, and psycho-physiological processes, which can result in an increase in a patient's distress," says study co-author Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, M.D., Chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford. "Sleep complaints, including insomnia, in these patients may result in a decrease in their tolerance to tinnitus."

The study will be presented this week at the Combined Otolaryngological Spring Meetings in San Diego.

While the exact physiological cause of tinnitus is not known, there are several conditions that have been shown to trigger or worsen tinnitus: Exposure to loud noises, wax build-up in the ear, ear or sinus infections, head and neck trauma, and certain disorders, such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome.

Previous medical studies also have shown a strong association between tinnitus and various psychological disturbances.

For the Henry Ford study, Dr. Yaremchuk, Dr. George Miguel and their research team conducted a retrospective study of 117 patients treated between 2009 and 2011 at Henry Ford.

Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing in the ears. Symptoms can range from a slight annoying ring to a constant hum or even a loud buzz. Individuals who suffer with this condition know just how irritating it is to live with on a daily basis.

Pulsatile and nonpulsatile are the two main forms of tinnitus. Blood flow, heart rate or muscle movement can often be heard within the ear as a pulsating noise. This pulsating noise can be found to be in relation to vascular problems in the neck. The nonpulsatile form is thought to be caused by the nerves within the ear that are not operating properly. This condition can affect one ear or both of the ears. Patients often report the sound is coming from “inside” their heads.

Some Tinnitus Causes
Tinnitus is a bothersome and irritating condition that can be triggered by any one of multiple reasons. Just some of the most common causes are excessive earwax, antibiotics or aspirin, drinking too much caffeinated beverages or alcohol, dental problems, injury to the fragile components of the inner ear and excessive weight loss or malnutrition. There are so many possible reasons for a patient to develop ringing in the ears that it is sometimes hard for doctors to actually pin down the exact cause of the discomfort.