Tinnitus is the perception of noises in the head and/or ear which have no external source. It is derived from the Latin word for ‘ringing’ and those living with the condition may have to endure a ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling or other noise. The sensation can be constant or intermittent and it can vary in volume and pitch. For some, the extra neural activity associated with tinnitus has led to negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, depression, a lack of focus and concentration.

 

A research study conducted in the USA reported the relationship between chronic tinnitus, an over-active neural network in the brain, with higher rates of brain fog/confusion. The study suggests that patients with chronic tinnitus are not truly at rest, even when resting, helping to explain why some patients reported feeling more tired.