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Tinnitus is a hearing condition characterised by a continual buzz or ringing in the ears of the sufferer. However, although a recognised medical condition it is largely not objectively measurable for diagnostic purposes.
Ryan J Huxtable in his article "Beethoven: A life of sound and silence" says that hearing problems often lack the public attention that blindness receives and that tinnitus, much like chronic pain, is a debilitating and unremitting condition that can lead to despair and degrades quality of life for the sufferer.
He describes deafness as a socially inhibiting affliction aptly expressed by Helen Keller as different from blindness in that an inability to see separates people from things, whereas an inability to hear separates people from people.
Beethoven first loss of hearing was noted when he was just 27, and four years later he first documented the effects of tinnitus. He said, "My ears whistle and buzz continually, day and night such a condition is truly frightful."
He also wrote of the despair and suicidal thoughts that blighted his existence and that he was kept alive only by a devotion to his art of composing. In fact, it is said, he noticed an alleviation of his affliction while he was in the throes of composition and it is suggested that this may reflect a minimized consciousness of tinnitus during intense mental activity.
Beethoven tried numerous treatments to improve his hearing; including oil of almonds, blistering of the arms (a therapy which Beethoven felt created cessation of the tinnitus, but was ineffective as a treatment for deafness), and both cold and warm baths. He experimented with various herb remedies, both internally and externally, and wrote excitedly about the phenomenon of electric treatment, "Miracles are told of galvanism (the therapeutic application of electricity to the body)...a doctor told me he had seen a deaf and dumb child recover his hearing again, and a man who had been deaf seven years got well."
The three hearing problems that Beethoven suffered; deafness, hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sound) and tinnitus have multiple causes and despite much research and treatment trials, limited curative options. For the treatment of deafness hearing aids and cochlear implants can aid perception of sound in certain patients, but for other conditions therapies have proved largely inefficacious.
Huxtable says, "Tinnitus is not a single entity, and so no single treatment can be expected to be universal. Thus, we can only speculate about the consequences for his musical career if Beethoven had received proper therapy for his deafness, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. We can be sure, however, that the quality of his life would have been immeasurably improved."
Loud noise, tinnitus and extreme working conditions
Huxtable does not discuss whether or not Beethoven's tinnitus could have been caused by prolonged exposure to excessive noise levels produced by an orchestra, but if you suffer from tinnitus and you feel it has been caused by your working conditions you may be able to make a compensation claim with the personal injury experts at YouClaim.
All our solicitors work on a no win no fee basis which means you are protected from legal fees and costs associated with litigation. Our success rate is high and you are guaranteed to receive 100 per cent compensation in the event of a successful claim.
Call our free UK helpline on 0800 10 757 95 or have an e-chat. If it's not convenient right now we can call you back, or you could give us a few details about your claim by filling in our online claim form and we will call you to discuss your tinnitus further. We assure you of the swiftest action possible and professional standards of practice at all times.
