<P> The condition is often rated on a scale from "slight" to "catastrophic" according to the effects it has, such as interference with sleep, quiet activities and normal daily activities . In an extreme case a man committed suicide after being told there was no cure . </P> <P> Assessment of psychological processes related to tinnitus involves measurement of tinnitus severity and distress (i.e. nature and extent of tinnitus - related problems), measured subjectively by validated self - report tinnitus questionnaires . These questionnaires measure the degree of psychological distress and handicap associated with tinnitus, including effects on hearing, lifestyle, health and emotional functioning . A broader assessment of general functioning, such as levels of anxiety, depression, stress, life stressors and sleep difficulties, is also important in the assessment of tinnitus due to higher risk of negative well - being across these areas, which may be affected by and / or exacerbate the tinnitus symptoms for the individual . Overall, current assessment measures are aimed to identify individual levels of distress and interference, coping responses and perceptions of tinnitus in order to inform treatment and monitor progress . However, wide variability, inconsistencies and lack of consensus regarding assessment methodology are evidenced in the literature, limiting comparison of treatment effectiveness . Developed to guide diagnosis or classify severity, most tinnitus questionnaires have also been shown to be treatment - sensitive outcome measures . </P> <P> If the examination reveals a bruit (sound due to turbulent blood flow), imaging studies such as transcranial doppler (TCD) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) should be performed . </P> <P> Tinnitus can be evaluated with most auditory evoked potentials: however, results may be inconsistent . Results must be compared to age and hearing matched control subjects to be reliable . This inconsistent reporting may be due to many reasons: differences in the origin of the tinnitus, ABR recording methods and selection criteria of control groups . Since research shows conflicting evidence, more research on the relationship between tinnitus and auditory evoked potentials should be carried out before these measurements are used clinically . </P>

I hear a white noise in my ear