Are you annoyed by ringing, whirring, buzzing or clicking sounds that no one else can hear? You aren’t alone. Those sounds are called tinnitus, and over 50 million Americans experience tinnitus at some time. Tinnitus is when your ears hear sounds that aren’t in the environment. Tinnitus isn’t a disease, but a symptom of another condition. If you suffer from tinnitus, let ENT Specialists calm the symptoms and bring relief.
Types of tinnitus
Most tinnitus is subjective. That means only the person suffering from the symptoms can hear the tinnitus noise. Not all tinnitus noises are the same. Some experience a sound they refer to as a bell ringing while others hear a mechanical whir. No matter the type of sound, it isn’t in the environment, and only the tinnitus patient can hear the noise. This is the most common form of tinnitus.
In rare instances, tinnitus is objective. That means the ENT doctor or audiologist can hear the sound that is being produced in the ear by using a highly sensitive, specialized ear tube or a stethoscope.
Tinnitus causes
Tinnitus is commonly caused by excess earwax or hairs in the ear that prevent the eardrum from operating properly. It can also be caused by high blood pressure, ear infections, otosclerosis and less commonly tumors or head trauma.
Undiagnosed hearing loss is another common cause of tinnitus. As the brain receives decreased auditory stimulation, it begins to make its own sounds to fill the void. Often, when hearing levels are restored by wearing hearing aids, the tinnitus fades away as the brain is sufficiently stimulated.
Tinnitus treatment
The tinnitus treatments offered by the physicians and audiologists at ENT Specialists depends on the underlying cause of the tinnitus. If, for example, the cause is an ear infection, medical intervention with antibiotics may be all that is needed. If hearing loss is the root cause, hearing aids may be in order. In other more complex cases, other treatments include:
- Mindful meditation
- Hearing aids
- Cochlear implants or electrical stimulation
- Cognitive therapy
- Drug therapy
- Sound therapy/tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)
- TMJ treatment
Don’t let tinnitus interfere with your ability to sleep or the quality of life. Schedule an evaluation at one of our convenient locations today. ENT Specialists has both otolaryngologists and audiologists on staff to treat tinnitus.
Visit the American Tinnitus Association for more information at ATA.org