Tinnitus

What You Should Know

Tinnitus

Symptoms

Tinnitus is the medical term for perceiving noises in your head when there is no outside source of the sound. The noises may be soft or loud and sound like ringing, blowing, roaring, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling, or sizzling. Sufferers of hyperacusis experience an increased sensitivity to normal, everyday sounds.

Causes

Tinnitus is a common symptom with many causes. Almost everyone occasionally experiences a mild form of tinnitus that only lasts a few minutes. However, constant or recurring tinnitus can be very stressful and can interfere with your ability to concentrate or sleep.

It is not known exactly what causes a person to "hear" sounds with no outside source of the noise. Tinnitus can be a symptom of almost any ear problem, including:

• Hearing loss - People with certain kinds of hearing loss also have tinnitus.
• Loud noise -Too much exposure to loud noise can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.
• Medications – Many medications have been associated with tinnitus. If you have tinnitus and you take medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine could be involved.
  
  In addition, health problems such as allergies, tumors, and problems in the heart and blood vessels, jaws, and neck can cause tinnitus.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of tinnitus begins with an initial interview, evaluation, and full diagnostic workup. This will include a hearing test to determine if a hearing loss is present, and otoacoustic emission testing to evaluate inner ear function.

Treatment

Although there is no cure for tinnitus, there are treatments that can help patients cope. Hearing aids can help, as well as maskers---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. Some medications and vitamins may also ease tinnitus. Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) uses a combination of counseling and noise generators to help patients eliminate the noise perceptually. Shohet Ear Associates is one of the first centers in Southern California to offer TRT.

Neuromonics

Neuromonics is a new treatment that involves the use of a small medical processor that delivers a pleasant acoustic signal (embedded in music) at a comfortable listening level. This sound stimulates a wide range of auditory pathways and positively engages the emotional system and autonomic nervous system of the brain which in turn decreases disturbance from tinnitus over the course of the treatment. Conducted over a period of about six months, neuromonics has been shown through tinnitus research and clinical trials to result in significantly reduced awareness and disturbance for up to 90% of people who suffer from tinnitus and hyperacusis. Furthermore, it can lead to better relaxation and sleep and improved quality of life.

Shohet Ear Associates has treated more people with neuromonics to date than any other center in California. If you suffer from tinnitus , call us at (949) 631-HEAR.

To learn more about neuromonics and see the clinical outcomes after six months of treatments.

Things to avoid when one suffers from tinnitus are:

1. Stress - Behavioral and personal modifications may be necessary
2. Fatigue - Get plenty of rest and relaxation
3. Caffeine
4. Noise - Loud noise can worsen tinnitus