Ring ring…Mobiles linked to tinnitus

New research has identified a possible link between excessive use of mobile phones, and the medical condition tinnitus. The condition causes an ongoing ringing or buzzing in the ear, which affects approximately ten percent of the population.

The study, undertaken by researchers in Austria, compared one hundred people who suffered with tinnitus, and one hundred who didn’t, and assessed the amount of time each demographic used their mobile phones. It was discovered that people with the condition were over seventy percent more likely to spend over ten minutes per day on their mobiles, compared with those who did not have the condition.

The study results, which were published in the journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, suggest that there is a good foundation for further research based on initial findings. While the British Tinnitus Association has commented that there is no evidence yet that tinnitus and mobile phone use were linked, experts agree that even anecdotal evidence suggests that there is good reason to pursue the research to identify clear cases where the two are linked.

Even a slight risk to users, if identified, is worth sharing with the public. There are a number of factors thought to cause tinnitus, including loud noise, certain drugs and head trauma. There are a number of factors which could have influenced the study outcomes, including the fact that posture when using a mobile could affect blood flow to the ear.

A spokesperson for the British Tinnitus Association, commented: “The association between tinnitus and electromagnetic fields is not a new idea with electromagnetic fields being put forward both as a cause and treatment for tinnitus. Some people have attributed their tinnitus to the sounds generated by electromagnetic fields within modern electrical wiring or power plants. Electromagnetic therapy has also been used to treat tinnitus. This is an interesting study but there are a number of complex factors underlying tinnitus which have not been addressed in the study. The link between mobile phone use remains unproven with further work still needed.”

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