Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have found that insomnia tends to exacerbate the symptoms of tinnitus. I have observed this correlation between fatigue and tinnitus in my own patients, and always advise them to try to get more rest.
If you suffer from tinnitus and find that a sleepless night seems to make your condition worse the next day, you’re not imagining things. Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have found that insomnia tends to exacerbate the symptoms of tinnitus, which for many people includes ringing in the ears, or an incessant hissing, whistling or buzzing that literally drives them to distraction.
The study included 117 tinnitus patients treated at Henry Ford Hospital 2009 and 2011. It found that the more severe the patients’ insomnia, the greater their complaints about their tinnitus symptoms. The effect was heightened emotional distress, the findings showed.
“Tinnitus involves mental, emotional and psycho-physiological processes, which can result in an increase in a patient’s distress,” study co-author Dr. Kathleen Yaremchuk, chairwoman of the hospital’s ear, nose and throat department, said in a Henry Ford Health System news release. “Sleep complaints, including insomnia, in these patients may result in a decrease in their tolerance to tinnitus.” And it seems to be a vicious cycle, as one of the most frequent self-reported complaints of tinnitus patients is ‘getting to sleep.'”
But there is hope. The researchers said their study also offers further proof that treatment of insomnia in patients with tinnitus may reduce tinnitus symptoms’ severity. If you or a loved suffer from tinnitus, finding ways to promote more sleep may help you better cope with the condition.
The findings were presented at the recent Combined Otolaryngological Spring Meetings in San Diego, Calif. The data and conclusions of research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. However, I have observed this correlation between fatigue and tinnitus in my own patients, and always advise them to try to get more rest.