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Education

What Is Tinnitus and Treatment

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is commonly described as a ringing in the ears, but it also can sound like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing. It may be soft or loud, high pitched or low pitched. You might hear it in either one or both ears. In the past year, experts estimate that 22.7 million adult Americans experienced tinnitus for more than three months, which is roughly 10 percent of the adult population of the United States.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Tinnitus (pronounced tin-NY-tus or TIN-u-tus) is not a disease. It is a symptom that something is wrong in the auditory system, which includes the ear, the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, and the parts of the brain that process sound. Something as simple as a piece of earwax blocking the ear canal can cause tinnitus. But it can also be the result of a number of health conditions, such as:

  • Noise-induced hearing loss
  • Ear and sinus infections
  • Diseases of the heart or blood vessels
  • Ménière’s disease
  • Brain tumors
  • Hormonal changes in women
  • Thyroid abnormalities

Tinnitus is sometimes the first sign of hearing loss in older people. It also can be a side effect of medications. More than 200 drugs are known to cause tinnitus when you start or stop taking them.

People who work in noisy environments—such as factory or construction workers, road crews, or even musicians—can develop tinnitus over time when ongoing exposure to noise damages tiny sensory hair cells in the inner ear that help transmit sound to the brain. This is called noise-induced hearing loss.

Soldiers exposed to bomb blasts can develop tinnitus if the shock wave of the explosion squeezes the skull and damages brain tissue in areas that help process sound. In fact, tinnitus is one of the most common service-related disabilities among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare type of tinnitus that sounds like a rhythmic pulsing in the ear, usually in time with your heartbeat. Doctors at The Hearing Center at Dallas Ear Institute may be able to hear it by pressing a stethoscope against your neck or by placing a tiny microphone inside the ear canal. This kind of tinnitus is most often caused by problems with blood flow in the head or neck. Pulsatile tinnitus also may be caused by brain tumors or abnormalities in brain structure.

Even with all of these associated conditions and causes, some people develop tinnitus for no obvious reason. Most of the time, tinnitus isn’t a sign of a serious health problem, although if it’s loud or doesn’t go away, it can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and concentration. For some, tinnitus can be a source of real mental and emotional anguish.

What Should I Do if I Have Tinnitus?

An evaluation by our medical team is the first step in your quest to find out more about your tinnitus. Your evaluation will include a review of your tinnitus, hearing concerns, medical history and other possible factors that may be contributing to your tinnitus. Simple causes of tinnitus will be ruled out and your hearing will be assessed to check for this association with your tinnitus.

The Dallas Ear Institute professionals work together to give you a complete, coordinated approach to your problems. All possible causes of your tinnitus and all options for treatment will be considered during your evaluation.

What if the Sounds in My Ear Do Not Go Away?

Some people find their tinnitus doesn’t go away or it gets worse. In some cases it may become so severe that you find it difficult to hear, concentrate, or even sleep. Your Dallas Ear Institute hearing professional will work with you to help find ways to reduce the severity of the noise and its impact on your life.

Are There Treatments That Can Help Me?

Tinnitus does not have a cure yet, but treatments that help many people cope better with the condition are available. The Dallas Ear Institute is a fully integrated center, with all possible treatment options considered and cutting edge technology offered.  Below are some of the treatments offered by our team.

Sound Generation

Sound generation can be helpful to aid in relaxation or sleep for mild tinnitus sufferers. Sound generation can be achieved through table top devices, but is also available through Smartphone Apps that can be played through your phone’s speaker or headphones. The user can select sounds they find pleasing such as waves, waterfalls, rain, or the sounds of a summer night to help distract from the tinnitus.

Widex: Zen

Widex offers advanced hearing instruments that make use of fractal technology and offer a harmonic sound program called Zen.  Zen generates soothing sounds and is used as a sound therapy tool for relaxation and tinnitus treatment.  The fractal tones used in Zen sound therapy incorporate many useful characteristics of music while avoiding certain features that could be distracting to some individuals.  Zen is designed for relaxation and concentration and for making tinnitus less noticeable.  The Zen devices can also be used as hearing aids, and, if necessary, can simultaneously treat hearing loss as well as tinnitus.  This flexibility allows you to improve your quality of life from many angles. Zen devices can be adjusted according to your specific needs and preferences.  

Hearing Aids 

Hearing aids are helpful for people who have hearing loss along with tinnitus. Using a hearing aid adjusted to carefully control outside sound levels may make it easier for you to hear. The better you hear, the less you may notice your tinnitus. The most advanced hearing aid technology is offered at The Hearing Center at Dallas Ear Institute, including new hearing aids that are specifically designed for patients with tinnitus.  This exciting new technology can be very useful in many patients suffering with tinnitus and hearing loss.

Cochlear Implants 

Cochlear implants are sometimes used in people who have tinnitus along with severe hearing loss. A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged portion of the inner ear and sends electrical signals that directly stimulate the auditory nerve. The device brings in outside sounds that help mask tinnitus and stimulate change in the neural circuits.

Bimodal Neuromodulation 

Bimodal neuromodulation is a relatively new technique available for tinnitus sufferers. Treatment is available through a non-invasive medical device which delivers mild electrical pulses to the tongue combined with sound played through headphones to drive changes in the brain to treat tinnitus. The device is fitted and used in accordance with a tailored treatment plan.

Counseling 

If our team determines additional counseling would be beneficial to you, we have established a referral relationship with a Licensed Professional Counselor who is well versed in how hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis can impact a person’s life.  Additional counseling is particularly helpful for patient’s when stress and anxiety are an underlying cause.

Improving your quality of life as it relates to tinnitus and sound sensitivity is a process that can move you toward significant relief, but noticeable changes often take time.  There is no instant cure; however there is hope for improving your quality of life and gaining relief from bothersome tinnitus or sound sensitivity.

Antidepressants 

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs may be prescribed by your physician to improve your mood and help you sleep. In some studies, these medications have been shown to decrease the impact of the tinnitus on your quality of life.

Other Medications 

Other non-prescriptive medications are available as an alternative remedy for tinnitus, but none of have been proved effective in clinical trials.

Can I Do Anything to Prevent Tinnitus or Keep It From Getting Worse?

Noise-induced hearing loss, the result of damage to the sensory hair cells of the inner ear, is one of the most common causes of tinnitus. Anything you can do to limit your exposure to loud noise—by moving away from the sound, turning down the volume, or wearing earplugs or earmuffs—will help prevent tinnitus or keep it from getting worse.