It may sound surprising, but researchers from George Washington University (USA) and CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Shoreline (USA) have reported that one of their patients developed tinnitus and hearing loss after an innocent kiss on the ear.

👉 Read the case report here

The researchers explained that a kiss on the ear can create negative pressure strong enough to affect the delicate bones in the middle ear. This can, in rare cases, result in tinnitus and even hearing loss.

Expert insight from our Director, Dr Hashir Aazh

“Based on our research, developing tinnitus after a kiss on the ear can happen specifically in people who also have hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is when everyday sounds feel unbearably loud or even painful.

We once treated a patient whose tinnitus was triggered by tuning fork tests during an ENT assessment. Other noises can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus. Studies show that suction inside the ear canal can reach 100 dB(A), with peaks of 118 dB(A).

During earwax removal, a phenomenon called the ‘clarinet effect’ can occur if the suction tube is partially blocked by wax or skin flakes. In those cases, the peak noise can reach 146 dB(A) – loud enough to temporarily affect hearing and trigger tinnitus in some patients.”

A patient’s story

One of our patients shared:

“After a trauma to my ear (my one-year-old daughter screaming close to my ears), I developed tinnitus. Alongside this, I became very sensitive to sound (hyperacusis). My life was an absolute misery. I could not look after my children properly, and it strained my relationship with my husband.

I felt like a burden on my family, and even my mum had to come and help me cope. Constantly I was fighting against tinnitus and noise. I could not live my life.

I am very grateful to have found the Hashir International Institute. Over the last 12 months, they helped me regain my life with support from audiologists, psychologists, a neuroscientist and even an occupational therapist. They worked out a strategy using occupational therapy and health psychology for immediate relief, and CBT for long-term management. It gave me my life back.”

Additional perspective from Joanna Barker, Specialist Audiologist

“Even non-traumatic noise exposure can lead to Tonic Tensor Tympani Syndrome (TTTS). This is an involuntary, anxiety-based condition where the reflex threshold for tensor tympani muscle activity is reduced, causing frequent muscle spasms in the middle ear.

TTTS can trigger a range of aural symptoms linked to tympanic membrane tension, middle ear ventilation changes, and trigeminal nerve irritability. It is thought to underlie the symptoms of acoustic shock, which can develop after exposure to an unexpected loud sound perceived as threatening.”