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Video duration: 3 minutes
Health: The cause of tinnitus is still unknown
Nearly 10 million French people suffer from tinnitus. It's the beeps, those buzzing sounds we hear all the time that drive you crazy. The average age of disease onset is about 47 years. It is often excessive exposure to noise that causes it. But in about 40% of cases, the cause of tinnitus is unknown.
(France 2)
Nearly 10 million French people suffer from tinnitus. It's the beeps, those buzzing sounds we hear all the time that drive you crazy. The average age of disease onset is about 47 years. It is often excessive exposure to noise that causes it. But in about 40% of cases, the cause of tinnitus is unknown.
No matter where he is, Jean-Pierre Abeyta, a 52-year-old teacher, hears a humming sound as soon as he wakes up. The first time was three years ago. He suffers from tinnitus, and hears noise that does not exist. Hearing loss that we cannot treat. “I can no longer watch TV, read, or use the computer. It's the tide that fills the brain.”He explains. “The only thing that relaxes me is the bathroom.” He adds.
An ongoing study on tinnitus
At the age of 32, Antoine Godois was fitted with a hearing aid to eliminate a sound he described as the sound of a radio tuned to the wrong frequency. Added to this is hyperacusis, that is, greater sensitivity to sounds. His device filters their intensity. Most people with tinnitus also need psychological support. The Georges Pompidou Hospital and the Brain Institute are also conducting a study to determine the origin of this dysfunction.