Tinnitus
ABOUT TINNITUS
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing sounds that are not there. Normally, sound waves enter the ear, travel through the ear canal and middle ear and finally reach the hair cells located in the inner ear. These hair cells translate the sound wave vibrations into electrical impulses, which are then sent to the brain to be interpreted as sound. The hair cells within the inner ear of those who have tinnitus are damaged. Damage to these cells can cause the hair to randomly send electrical impulses to the brain, which are interpreted as sound.
Understanding the Facts
Tinnitus is most often described as a ringing in the ears but may also take the form of a buzzing, whooshing, roaring, clicking, hissing or whistling.
Tinnitus can cause severe mental and emotional anguish. Side effects include fatigue, depression, anxiety, irritability and memory or concentration problems
Most of our patients with tinnitus report a significant reduction in their tinnitus symptoms when they are wearing their hearing aids.
No, but you do have options!Applied Hearing Solutions
SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, IMPACTS OF TINNITUS
Tinnitus is actually a symptom, not a disorder. Any of the following can cause it:
Hearing loss
Exposure to loud noises
Reaction to medication
Anxiety/stress
Sudden impact noises
Injury to the head or neck
Natural aging process
Temporomandibular joint disfunction (TMJ)
TINNITUS MANAGEMENT
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing sounds that are not there. Normally, sound waves enter the ear, travel through the ear canal and middle ear and finally reach the hair cells located in the inner ear. These hair cells translate the sound wave vibrations into electrical impulses, which are then sent to the brain to be interpreted as sound. The hair cells within the inner ear of those who have tinnitus are damaged. Damage to these cells can cause the hair to randomly send electrical impulses to the brain, which are interpreted as sound.
A detailed case history
to determine how the tinnitus is affecting you.
A comprehensive hearing assessment
to determine if hearing problems are related to your tinnitus.
A determination of underlying medical problems,
possibly leading to a referral to an ENT specialist to discover if your tinnitus has a medical cause.
Matching the pitch and loudness of your tinnitus
to known sounds to help the audiologist counsel you effectively during the treatment phase.
A measurement of your sensitivity to noise masking,
and recommendations for managing your tinnitus.
The goal of tinnitus management is to “train your brain” to conclude that tinnitus is not important and should be ignored. This process is called habituation, and allows tinnitus patients to overlook the disturbing effects of tinnitus, the same way that many of us have learned to overlook the disturbing effects of a train whistle at night. The ultimate goal is to gain control over your tinnitus.
Tinnitus therapy is highly personalized to account for an individual’s perception of their symptoms. There is no “one size fits all” therapy! Effective treatment strategies generally focus on counseling, sound therapy, relaxation, and stress-reduction methods. If you have tinnitus AND hearing loss, hearing aids may improve your hearing AND relieve your tinnitus, because better hearing will make it easier to ignore your tinnitus.
Get started on your better hearing journey
