Is there a tinnitus personality?

Tinnitus is a bedeviling condition that affects 50 million Americans to some degree, and 12 million of them severely. The causes and treatment of the condition have been the subject of much research, and some controversial studies have suggested that a person's state of mind has something to do how tinnitus is experienced. Now a new study also concludes that personality plays a role in how the condition affects people.

Tinnitus is often called "ringing in the ears." It's a subjective noise that is described by sufferers as the sound of ringing, crickets, whooshing, pulsing, buzzing or even music. If severe, it can greatly affect a person's quality of life and functioning. There has long been a perception that people just need to get used to tinnitus and those who accept the condition do better. Though it's not true that one simply has to get used to it --there are effective treatments -- the new study in the October issue of Ear and Hearing, the Official Journal of the American Auditory Society, found that people with tinnitus were found to be more socially withdrawn, reactive to stress, alienated and less self-controlled. People who reported being more annoyed by tinnitus were also more socially withdrawn. The researchers, from New Zealand, conclude that successful treatment of the condition may start with evaluating how much a person is aware of the noise (which may be influenced by personality) and then working on strategies to decrease awareness.

For more information on the condition, go to the web page of the American Tinnitus Assn.

-- Shari Roan

Photo credit: Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times