Twelve million seek medical help for tinnitus
By Linda Gemayel
Editor: Here's an interesting article on tinnitus by audiologist
Linda Gamayel. It is reprinted with permission from the KINGSPORT
TIMES-NEWS.
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Tinnitus is a term derived from the Latin word "tinnire"
meaning "to jingle." The word is often pronounced two
different ways, TINnitus and tinNITEus. According to dictionaries,
neither pronunciation is preferred, but the order of listing reflects
the frequency of use. Regionally, one pronunciation may vary over the
other.
Tinnitus, sometimes called "head noise," is hearing sounds
coming from inside the head. For many people, tinnitus is a high-pitched
ringing in one or both ears. For others, it may be a buzzing, whistling,
popping, hissing or roaring noise. Tinnitus may be constant or may come
and go.
Fifty million Americans experience tinnitus. About 12 million have
tinnitus severe enough to seek medical attention. Of those, about 2
million patients are so distraught with tinnitus, they cannot function
normally.
Most people experience occasional, mild tinnitus at one time or
another. The prevalence of tinnitus rises with age, increasing in one's
mid-40s, peaking in the 55 to 64 age range, then begins to decline. In
general, tinnitus is reported less often by women than men.
Scientists don't really understand the sensation of sounds that are
perceived to be in the ear. In reality, the sounds are not within the
ear, but from a response in the brain. Parts of the brain that interpret
sound seem to respond to some kind of damage, telling the person that
they hear noise when no noise is there.
Tinnitus can be caused by various problems, with the most common
being exposure to loud noise. Tinnitus also can result from ear or sinus
infections, an inner ear disorder called Meniere's disease, certain
medications, head and neck trauma, a multitude of middle and inner ear
diseases, circulatory problems or misalignment of the jaw. Stress has
been known to be a factor in producing tinnitus, and when treated
through relaxation therapy, disappears. In rare instances, a serious
condition such as a tumor can cause tinnitus; therefore, your doctor
should be consulted.
Patients with tinnitus will often say that their tinnitus is worse at
night. However, during the day, the distraction of activities and
environmental sounds make your tinnitus less obvious, and these sounds
will actually mask the tinnitus that is present. When your surroundings
are quiet, the tinnitus may seem louder and more constant.
Fatigue also may make tinnitus worse. So naturally, when you relax in
a warm shower or settle into your bed at night, the quiet gives way to
your awareness of the tinnitus that has been there all day. Music, tapes
of environmental sounds such as waterfalls and even special devices that
fit into one's ears like hearing aids can generate soothing, distracting
sounds that bring relief. If the person with tinnitus has some hearing
loss, hearing aids will often give them the relief they need during the
day.
It is important not to ignore your tinnitus. Since it is a symptom,
the first step should be to try to diagnose the underlying cause. You
should have a medical examination with special attention given to
factors sometimes associated with tinnitus such as blood pressure,
kidney function, drug intake, diet and allergies. Your hearing should be
evaluated by an audiologist. The audiologist will determine if there is
a need to see a specialist, such as an ear, nose and throat physician.
It is interesting to know that there have been famous musicians and
artists with tinnitus. Beethoven, who eventually became deaf, first
suffered from tinnitus. Smetana incorporated the tinnitus note he heard
into one of his string quartets. Michelangelo had it, too, and wrote
that he had a spider's web hidden in one ear, and a cricket singing
throughout the night in the other ear. I would suspect that
"spider's web" meant hearing loss.
What can people do if the noises are making their lives miserable?
First, an examination will rule out a pathological reason for the
tinnitus. A critical part of tinnitus treatment is to help the sufferer
put his complaint in perspective, to realize that while the noise is
aggravating, it is not life-threatening.
Anti-anxiety drugs, in combination with counseling, are beneficial
since tinnitus appears to be more severe in people who are depressed.
Changing one's lifestyle to lower stress can make a difference, while
others have tried biofeedback, meditation, yoga or other forms of
exercise. One person has reported that attending Bible study at church
helps because it is a calming experience.
Whether you say TINnitus or tinNITEus, check with your physician and
visit an audiologist for a full audiological evaluation to determine the
cause of the symptoms.
