Tinnitus: An Overview
Tinnitus, characterized by ringing in the ears, is a widespread condition affecting up to 50 million Americans. Most commonly, tinnitus results from hearing loss after exposure to excessive or loud noises. Sufferers perceive sound in the ear in the absence of corresponding external stimuli. The sounds can take many forms, ranging from ringing, buzzing and hissing, to clicking, roaring and beeping.
Tinnitus involves the perception of sound in the absence of corresponding external sound(s). For some, tinnitus is a mild distraction or an annoyance. But for the 10-15 percent of adults that have prolonged tinnitus requiring medical attention2, the condition can have a debilitating impact. The sounds distract sufferers from a range of normal activities, causing debilitating effects on daily living. The tinnitus disturbances are most pronounced in quiet environments, such as at night, leading to sleep deprivation and restlessness.
Chronic tinnitus sufferers experience the following distressing symptoms:
- Loss of sleep
- Inability to relax
- Lack of concentration
- Hyperacusis, or sensitivity to loud sounds
- Anxiety and depression
- Negative impact on work, family, and social life
There is no single standard-of-care therapy for tinnitus. Some patients even receive medications not associated with the hearing process, such as sedatives. However, physicians have traditionally offered these three treatments: (1) Hearing aids, which amplify external sounds in relation to the tinnitus stimuli; (2) Maskers or noise generators, which are worn like a hearing aid, and produce “white noise” to cover up the tinnitus; and, (3) Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), in which maskers are prescribed on top of extensive counseling over a long-term, often a multi-year, process. These therapies may provide temporary symptom relief, but in many cases, limited long-term benefit.
Many tinnitus sufferers are seeking a simple, effective treatment that moves beyond covering up tinnitus disturbances, and facilitates enduring benefit. Cleared by the FDA for commercial release in 2005, the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment is designed to interact, interrupt and desensitize tinnitus disturbance, changing how the brain perceives the tinnitus sounds. It is the most comprehensive long-term therapy that targets the neurological, audiological, and psychological basis of tinnitus.
Don’t put off finding the answers you need about your tinnitus. Pick up the phone and call for your free screening, 260-485-1231.
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