Are Tinnitus and Emotional Trauma Linked?

We are not sure, but there are some interesting correlations.

First, I am very sorry you are dealing with tinnitus.

If you have tinnitus, researchers believe cells in the auditory pathway become hyperactive. This causes your brain to perceive a persistent sound that doesn’t exist. Some patients describe their tinnitus as sounding like ringing, but it can also sound like buzzing, static, sirens or even clicking. Many people can make the sound change in loudness or pitch by moving their body. This occurs because the sensory system relating to touch, called the somatosensory system, is connected with the auditory system, said Shore, a professor emerita at the University of Michigan.

A new treatment approach for tinnitus is called bimodal neuromodulation, which targets the brain by stimulating two sensory systems. In a device called Lenire, patients wear headphones and a mouth device every day for an hour for at least six weeks. Washington Post, Morris & Steckelberg

Update: Regardless of whether there is a correlation of trauma and tinnitus, there are some exciting new treatments that are becoming available, which is great news. I suspect that the neurobiological sensitivity that results from early trauma may make tinnitus more likely to develop—but this is pure speculation on my part.

At this point the research says there is correlation of emotional trauma associated with tinnitus, not causation. But since I have many clients who experience it, and all are trauma-survivors, I have always wondered about the correlation. There is a link between depression and tinnitus--as well as correlation with other psychological traits (see the research summaries below).

Try asking your parts if they can shed some light on your condition.

If you are doing IFS therapy, I would recommend asking your system, what percentage of the tinnitus is physiological, and what percentage is a part trying to communicate that something needs to change. Your part might be trying to tell you something about your stress levels or other emotional distress. I do know that many people report having their tinnitus increase when stress and anxiety are high, so it is worth a try.

Anxiety and depression, personality traits relevant to tinnitus…

Objective: Scoping reviews of existing literature were conducted to identify key personality traits relevant to tinnitus, and examine the relationship between affective disorders and tinnitus. Design: The methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley was followed. Study sample: Sixty studies were chosen for charting the data, 14 studies examined personality traits exclusively, 31 studies examined affective disorders exclusively, and 15 studies investigated both. Results: The presence of one or more specific personality traits of high neuroticism, low extraversion, high stress reaction, higher alienation, lower social closeness, lower well-being, lower self control, lower psychological acceptance, presence of a type D personality, and externalized locus of control were associated with tinnitus distress. Anxiety and depression were more prevalent among the tinnitus clinical population and at elevated levels. Conclusions: Personality traits have a consistent association with the distress experienced by adult tinnitus help-seekers, and help-seekers are also more likely to experience affective symptoms and/or disorders.

Tinnitus and depression…

Objectives. Depressive symptoms are common in individuals with tinnitus and may substantially aggravate their distress. The mechanisms, however, by which depression and tinnitus mutually interact are still not fully understood. Methods. Here we review neurobiological knowledge relevant for the interplay between depression and tinnitus. Results. Neuroimaging studies confirm the existence of neural circuits that are activated both in depression and tinnitus. Studies of neuroendocrine function demonstrate alterations of the HPA-axis in depression and, more recently, in tinnitus. Studies addressing neurotransmission suggest that the dorsal cochlear nucleus that is typically hyperactive in tinnitus, is also involved in the control of attention and emotional responses via projections to the locus coeruleus, the reticular formation and the raphe nuclei. Impaired hippocampal neurogenesis has been documented in animals with tinnitus after noise trauma, as in animal models of depression. Finally, from investigations of human candidate genes, there is some evidence to suggest that variant BDNF may act as a common susceptibility factor in both disorders. Conclusions. These parallels in the pathophysiology of tinnitus and depression argue against comorbidity by chance and against depression as pure reaction on tinnitus. Instead, they stand for a complex interplay between tinnitus and depression. Implications for tinnitus treatment are discussed.