Tinnitus Cases amongst Senior Singaporeans

40 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Health (a) of those who have been diagnosed with tinnitus, how many are (i) above 60 years old and (ii) below 60 years old respectively; and (b) whether studies have found that tinnitus is a contributory cause of noise complaints in neighbour disputes.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Tinnitus is a perception of a buzzing, ringing or hissing sound in the absence of an external source. Common causes of tinnitus include age-related hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss and earwax impaction. Other pathological causes include perforation of the eardrum, fluid in the middle ear, as well as Meniere's disease, which is an inner ear disorder with other associated symptoms of dizziness, hearing loss and blocked ear.

Large population studies worldwide have found that the prevalence of tinnitus increases with age and peaks between 60 and 69 years of age. Locally, 17% of 72,000 Singaporeans aged 60 and above who had undergone hearing screening under Project Silver Screen between 2018 and 2020 reported "ringing in the ear".

There are no clinical studies reporting that tinnitus is a contributory cause of noise complaints in neighbour disputes.