January 17, 2023
Tinnitus is the term for the perception of sound when no external sound is present. It is often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” although some people describe it as hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. Tinnituscan be intermittent or constant, and can range from very soft to extremely loud. If you suffer with this condition, you’re not alone. According to the American Tinnitus Association(ATA) it is estimated that over 50 million Americans experience tinnitus to some degree. Of these, about 12 million have severe enough tinnitus to seek medical attention.
Knowing the causes of tinnitus puts you in a better position to avoid the problem, and since there’s no known cure for this condition, avoiding the problem altogether if you can is certainly the best option. We don’t always know what causes tinnitus, but there are several likely factors which may create or worsen this problem: noise exposure, wax build-up in the ear canal, certain medications, ear or sinus infections, age-related hearing loss, high blood pressure, certain types of tumors, thyroid disorders, head and neck trauma and many others. More recently, COVID has even been cited as a possible trigger for tinnitus.
Studies show that 80 % of tinnitus patients also have a hearing loss.
Of the factors noted above, according to the ATA, exposure to loud noises and hearing loss are the most common causes of tinnitus. Noise exposure and hearing loss may cause the brain to rewire itself.
In other words, that ringing in the ears may be a brain thing, not an ear thing, though some of this research is far from conclusive.
However, research does suggest that protecting your hearing from loud noise may be increasingly important. Even if your hearing is not permanently affected by noise exposure, the way your brain processes sound may be changed which could result in tinnitus.
You might want to consider that the next time you plug in your ear buds or put on your headphones.
Some who experience tinnitus only hear the ringing when they’re in a quiet environment, and are less aware of it as their surroundings get noisier and “mask” the tinnitus. But when things get quiet, tinnitus returns – often at night, making sleep difficult. Unfortunately there are millions that hear their tinnitus at all times, no matter what the level of background noise in their environment.
No one should ever ignore persistent tinnitus. Not only is every individual entitled to a chance to regain his or her quality of life, but in rare cases tinnitus also can be a symptom of a more serious health issue that could demand medical intervention. What’s more, nearly everyone with tinnitus has hearing loss as well.
While nothing will cure that incessant ringing or roaring in the ears, there are options to treat the symptoms, lessening the negative impact tinnitus has on quality of life. Treating hearing loss, either by medical management, if indicated, or with hearing aids, may offer relief of tinnitus.
If you have tinnitus, a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist is recommended.While not a cure for tinnitus, hearing aids are the most commonly used treatment for problematic tinnitus. They may be able to help by:
If you have tinnitus and want to know if hearing aids can help, please contact us today. One of our Audiologists can evaluate your hearing in the comfort of your own home. After the evaluation, we can let you know if hearing aids could help.
