Abstract

Tinnitus is common: it affects about one in six adults at some time in their life.^1,2 One-third of these consult a doctor but less than 1% say that they cannot lead a normal life. Tinnitus is almost always audible only to the patient (subjective tinnitus). It arises from damage to the auditory pathway, usually the cochlea; or from the use of many drugs particularly aspirin, chloroquine and quinine.³ Tinnitus which is audible to others (objective tinnitus) is usually clicking or pulsatile and may arise outside the auditory pathway (e.g. from palatal myoclonus⁴).