Noise In Your Ears?

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Noise In Your Ears?

Facts About Tinnitus

Do you hear a ringing, roaring, clicking, or hissing sound in your ears? Do you hear this sound often or all the time? Does the sound bother you a lot? If you answered yes to these questions, you may have tinnitus (tin-NY-tus).

Tinnitus is a symptom associated with many forms of hearing loss. It can also be a symptom of other health problems. Roughly 25 million Americans have experienced tinnitus. Some cases are so severe that it interferes with a persons daily activities. People with severe cases of tinnitus may find it difficult to hear, work, or even sleep.

What causes tinnitus?

Hearing loss Doctors and scientists discovered that people with different kinds of hearing loss also have tinnitus.

Loud noise Too much exposure to loud noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

Medicine More than 200 medicines can cause tinnitus. If you have tinnitus and you take medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine could be contributing to your tinnitus.

Other health problems that may cause tinnitus include allergies, tumors, problems in the heart and blood vessels, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, and neck discomfort.

What should I do if I have tinnitus?

The most important thing you can do is to go see your doctor. The otolaryngologist (ear nose and throat physician) will examine your ears to try to determine why you have tinnitus. The audiologist, the doctor that specializes in hearing aids and treatment of hearing loss, will conduct a hearing test and if necessary fit you with hearing aids that meet your needs.

How will hearing experts treat my tinnitus?

Although there is no cure for tinnitus, scientists and doctors discovered several treatments that may give you some relief. Not every treatment works for everyone, so you may need to try several to find the ones that help.

Treatments can include

Many people with tinnitus also have a hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid makes it easier for some people to hear the sounds they need to hear by making them louder. The better you hear other people talking or the music you like, the less you notice your tinnitus.

Maskers are small electronic devices that use sound to make tinnitus less noticeable. Maskers do not make tinnitus go away, but they make the ringing or roaring seem softer. For some people, maskers hide their tinnitus so well that they can barely hear it. Some people sleep better when they use maskers. Listening to static at a low volume on the radio or using bedside maskers can help.

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) uses a combination of counseling and maskers. Some people learn how to fatigue their tinnitus. It takes time for this treatment to work, but it can be very helpful.

People with tinnitus may become depressed. Talking with a counselor or people in tinnitus support groups may be helpful.

Learning how to relax is very helpful if the noise in your ears frustrates you. Stress makes tinnitus seem worse. By relaxing, you have a chance to rest and better deal with the sound.