| The mechanisms that produce tinnitus are not | | | | making the tinnitus louder than a ringing phone. Some |
| completely understood. An estimated 80% of people | | | | audiologists run specialist tinnitus clinics to help you |
| with tinnitus is able to successfully disregard it and | | | | manage your tinnitus, and they fit hearing aids and/or |
| report only that they have it, but simply ignore it. | | | | therapeutic noise generators if needed. |
| Symptoms of tinnitus The main symptoms of tinnitus | | | | Some Kind of Therapy |
| are: Buzzing, ringing, ringing, whistles in the ears, clicks in | | | | Top Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)Aims to reduce |
| the ear. These and other debilitating effects of tinnitus | | | | and ultimately eliminate a tinnitus perception. "Treatment |
| are what caused depression among sufferers for it | | | | of tinnitus in the elderly: a controlled trial of cognitive |
| makes their life stressful and frustrating. Other | | | | behavior therapy". One of the most effective forms of |
| commonly thought causes for tinnitus are Meniere's | | | | therapy for tinnitus patients is what's called sound |
| disease, Otosclerosis, drug related damage, loss of | | | | therapy. "Auditive stimulation therapy as an intervention |
| hearing or trauma to the ear and or ear canal. | | | | in subacute and chronic tinnitus: a prospective |
| Tinnitus: Possible Cause | | | | observational study". Relaxation therapy can help |
| Tinnitus from the Latin word tinnitus meaning "ringing" is | | | | greatly if learnt and practiced daily. Top Cognitive |
| the perception of sound within the human ear in the | | | | Behaviour Therapy (CBT)Effective in alleviating |
| absence of corresponding external sound. Tinnitus is | | | | distress and producing adaptation to tinnitus. |
| not a disease; but a symptom resulting from a range | | | | Relaxation training therapy teaches the person to learn |
| of underlying causes that can include: ear infections, | | | | to relax while experiencing tinnitus symptoms, thereby |
| foreign objects or wax in the ear, nose allergies that | | | | reducing the effect of that stress. In cases where |
| prevent (or induce) fluid drain and cause wax build-up. | | | | self-help techniques are not sufficient, other |
| Tinnitus can also be caused by natural hearing | | | | management options include: |
| impairment (as in aging), as a side-effect of some | | | | Stress reduction Relaxation techniques including |
| medications, and as a side-effect of genetic | | | | massage and acupuncture |
| (congenital) hearing loss. Tinnitus may as well have a | | | | Treatment for depression and anxiety |
| connection to memory problems, anxiety, fatigue or a | | | | Sleeping aid |
| general state of poor health. Tinnitus and hearing loss | | | | Hearing aids to improve underlying hearing loss |
| can be permanent conditions, and therefore, | | | | Family support Professional support groups such as |
| precautionary measures are advisable. | | | | the American Tinnitus Association Tinnitus Retraining |
| Tinnitus can be perceived in one or both ears or in the | | | | Therapy |
| head. Tinnitus is usually not a sign of a serious, ongoing | | | | Gingko biloba. |
| medical condition. Tinnitus does tend to but many | | | | The electronic ear used in the recording of Sound |
| persons with severe tinnitus still experience distress 5 | | | | Therapy challenges the ear with constantly alternating |
| years later. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is a | | | | sounds of high and low tone. Note: not exactly |
| method of habituation of tinnitus is helpful for some | | | | unbiased indicate that 96% of tinnitus sufferers who |
| (Wang et al, 2003). Tinnitus masking has been central | | | | persevered with the listening felt they benefited from |
| to tinnitus therapy for over 50 years. Tinnitus maskers | | | | the therapy. |
| create and deliver constant low-level white noise to | | | | Unfortunately, attempts to identify and treat the |
| the ear(s) of the patient. | | | | underlying disorder causing tinnitus are often |
| Tinnitus: What About Hearing | | | | unsuccessful. Although there is no cure, some causes |
| Hearing loss is a complex process and due to the | | | | of tinnitus are treatable. Worldwide research continues |
| personal and unique nature of each tinnitus condition, | | | | but the actual mechanisms, or processes of tinnitus |
| proper evaluation and specialized treatment is | | | | are not yet fully understood. Around 20% of people |
| necessary. Just imagine hearing a ringing in the ear's | | | | with tinnitus are less able to successfully ignore it and |
| noise in your ear and no matter what you does it will | | | | require special help to break the vicious cycle of |
| not go away. Heller and Bergman (1953) conducted a | | | | attending to it, being bothered by it, spending more time |
| study of 100 tinnitus-free university students placed in | | | | attending to it, becoming more irritated by it, etc. |
| an anechoic chamber and found that 93% reported | | | | However, most people who report having tinnitus are |
| hearing a buzzing, pulsing or whistling sound. Experts | | | | not suffering from it, meaning that their tinnitus does not |
| are predicting that devices such as the Apple iPod and | | | | affect their day-to-day living. |
| other MP3 players are going to leave users a legacy | | | | Patients with severe untreatable psychiatric disorders, |
| of hearing loss, deafness and tinnitus. Hearing | | | | those who do not share a common language and |
| instruments also can affect tinnitus positively in many | | | | those involved in litigation over their tinnitus are the only |
| ways. Hearing routine sounds becomes a problem and, | | | | exceptions in our practice. However, the people who |
| frankly, the problem can drive sufferers to extremes. | | | | are debilitated by their tinnitus are often found to be |
| Hearing aids for the treatment of tinnitus. Hearing aids | | | | suffering from a major depressive disorder. Doctors |
| cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to | | | | estimate that up to 31% percent of the patients they |
| several thousand dollars. Hearing aids are good for | | | | see that are suffering from severe tinnitus are |
| patients who have tinnitus in the 4 kHz and lower | | | | zinc-deficient. Experiences of tinnitus are very |
| range. Conversely, if the same test subject is told to | | | | common in all age groups, especially following |
| focus only on the tinnitus, he will report hearing the | | | | exposure to loud noise. However, it is unusual for it to |
| sound even when a test noises to exceed 70 decibels, | | | | be a major problem. |