“Tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, is a problem that can afflict the entire population over the course of a lifetime. The perception of hearing a sound that is not actually present is a very common event and at least once everyone has had experience. In the world, 750 million people suffer from it. But beware of neurodegenerative diseases that have tinnitus as a symptom”. This was stated by Arianna di Stadio, professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Catania and honorary researcher at the Neuroinflammation Laboratory of Queen Square Neurology in London, on the occasion of World Hearing Day which occurs on 3 March.
“The perception of sounds and voice is a complex process that begins in the ear. Once the cells of the ear are stimulated by a sound, such as a horn, they move, generating a nerve impulse that reaches the brain where the horn is then In the case of tinnitus, the external auditory stimulus is missing and the cells move by themselves generating these phantom sounds – explains Di Stadio – This motility without stimulus is indicative of the suffering of the cell, it can occur following an acoustic trauma, as the first sign of presbycusis (physiological phenomenon of hearing aging) and in various other conditions that alter the micro-environment of the ear. However, this phenomenon is transient, in fact the cells either recover their well-being or they die and the tinnitus disappears” .
Different, explains the expert, is when tinnitus is persistent: “This persistence is caused by inflammation of the auditory area in the brain (neuro-inflammation) following the peripheral stimulus coming from the ear. If the ear cells die they can no longer send signals, so the tinnitus should disappear.In some people, however, this overstimulation can cause inflammation of the specific area in the brain, which remains active even in the absence of stimulus from the ear.There are various methods to treat the problem according to its origin. In the case of an aging problem, one can protect oneself by using supplements, if the damage is caused by chronic exposure to noise, hearing protection must be used. When the problem has a central origin, first of all it is necessary to exclude the neurological problems associated with multiple sclerosis, as we know that some diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, can give tinnitus as a symptom. treat the problem using methodologies capable of counteracting neuro-inflammation”.
Currently “we are studying a series of anti-neuroinflammatory molecules to treat patients with persistent tinnitus (over 6 months). My advice is not to neglect tinnitus, especially if it is persistent and not occasional; if it does not disappear within 72 hours, it is advisable to contact the specialist who will thus be able to suggest the best treatment and prevent the disorder from becoming chronic”, concludes di Stadio.
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