By Shannon M. Aiello, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA
Doctor of Audiology
Directory of Audiology
Columbia Basin Hearing Center
1149 N. Edison Street, Suite D
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 736-4005
www.columbiabasinhearing.com
What do David Letterman, Pete Townshend, Charles Darwin, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Steve Martin have in common? Other than being notable individuals in history or entertainment, all of these people have lived with chronic tinnitus. And they are not alone. The American Tinnitus Association estimates that over 50 million Americans experience tinnitus. Of these, 12 million have tinnitus that is severe enough that they seek medical attention. Furthermore, approximately 2 million persons have tinnitus that is so debilitating they cannot function in their daily lives.
Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound when no external sound is present. Tinnitus is often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” although some people hear hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. It can be intermittent or constant, with single or changing frequencies.Because there are so many causes of tinnitus, it is important to be thoroughly evaluated to determine what exactly is causing the ringing. Many times people are told that tinnitus is normal with aging or that they just have to live with it. This is an untrue statement. If there is a medical issue causing the tinnitus often times, when it is treated the tinnitus may subside. Although there are very few treatments for tinnitus available, it is important that people with tinnitus understand where it is coming from, what to do if it gets worse, and what they can do to successfully manage their tinnitus.
Hearing loss and noise exposure is the most typical cause of tinnitus. For these patients, the tinnitus is typically permanent. Because of the vast number of people that suffer tinnitus, there are many companies that are trying to capitalize on this condition by advertising various herbal supplements or devices to help stop the ringing. Sadly, many of these supplements and “treatments” are extremely overpriced and have not been shown clinically to reduce the perception of tinnitus.
There are however, different options available for tinnitus suffers to help reduced their awareness of the tinnitus. For those who have hearing loss in addition to tinnitus, if the hearing loss is corrected through the use of hearing aids the majority of people also notice a reduction, or complete cessation, of their tinnitus.
At Columbia Basin Hearing and Balance Center, we understand that tinnitus is a complex problem which is different with each patient. Because of this we take the time to understand what our patients are experiencing, do comprehensive testing to determine where the tinnitus is coming from, and speak extensively about individualized management, therapies, and options that may help relieve the tinnitus. We are actively pursuing and using new therapies and management strategies to help out patients experience relief from their tinnitus.
If you or your loved one has been told to learn to live with tinnitus, please contact one of our local Doctor of Audiology for the latest in testing and management of tinnitus. General information on tinnitus can be found at Columbia Basin Hearing and the American Tinnitus Association.
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