Can you be involved with a research study?
Tinnitus and stress Stress is known to have an impact on health, and is linked to tinnitus. For example, people who have more severe tinnitus report a higher level of stress and more stress symptoms than those who had milder tinnitus. Some people also link the start of their tinnitus with the occurrence of a stressful event. But it is not clear whether tinnitus acts as a stressor, or stress leads to or makes tinnitus worse. At the NIHR Nottingham BRC (University of Nottingham), PhD student Asma Elarbed is conducting research to answer this question. She is measuring “cortisol” which is an important human hormone that is released by the “adrenal gland” in response to stress. She is comparing the level of cortisol (from hair sample) in people who have tinnitus with those who do not have tinnitus, and before and after tinnitus starts. This will tell us more about the biology of tinnitus. She is also looking at issues that relate to stress and tinnitus, namely depression, anxiety, memory, and attention, to determine how all these factors relate to each other. If you would like to participate or to know more, contact Asma Elarbed at this email: asma.elarbed@nottingham.ac.uk