Tinnitus - Ringing in Your Ears

Helpful Treatments
Some people find that reducing their intake of sodium, caffeine and nicotine can reduce or eliminate their tinnitus. Current treatments for those with chronic or severe tinnitus focus primarily on managing and minimizing conscious recognition of the internal noise.

Counseling may help people deal with the anxiety and distraction associated with tinnitus. Stress management and biofeedback are the most common techniques applied. Habituation training, masking and other sound therapies, anti-anxiety drugs or other medications are some of the treatments recommended for those with chronic tinnitus. Additional treatment options include hearing aids, cochlear implants, electrical stimulation and TMJ treatment.

When Head Noise Doesn't Go Away… (click here)

More on Tinnitus

An occasional fleeting sensation of ringing in the ears is a normal experience for most people. But for more than 50 million Americans, the sensation can be a very different experience. Referred to as “tinnitus,” it is a condition in which the ringing doesn’t stop, and can be so pronounced that it interferes with abilities to sleep, communicate and take part in everyday life.

A number of different factors can cause tinnitus - head trauma, medications, allergies, ear infections and disease, acoustic neuromas, excessive ear wax, and even broader systemic disorders such as diabetes, high or low blood pressure, anemia, thyroid dysfunction, etc. Sometimes even cardiovascular disease can trigger it. But hearing loss is by far the most common cause for tinnitus. Therefore, it is important to have an evaluation by an ear specialist to help identify any underlying physical problems that might be causing the tinnitus and are treatable.

With tinnitus being such a wide-spread health issue, the number of products touted as remedies for the problem are as varied as its causes. “There are a variety of quick fixes for tinnitus sold over the Internet,” said House Clinic Neurotologist William H. Slattery III, M.D. “Unfortunately none of these are very effective.” Others can actually be harmful. For example, eardrop products used in the ear for treatment of tinnitus can actually end up causing an ear infection or contribute to wax impaction. So what are the safe treatments that can offer tinnitus sufferers some relief?

Most of the medications on the market are vitamin complexes, which have demonstrated some benefit. “It is unlikely they will be harmful or dangerous to one’s health, but as with all medications, people should consult their physician prior to starting a new treatment,” said Dr. Slattery.

“The House Clinic utilizes medications, masking devices, or biofeedback for initial management of tinnitus,” he said. For people with severe cases of tinnitus, a Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment device has become available in the last couple of years. “This device is available for individuals who have very severe tinnitus. Unfortunately, the device is quite expensive, costing over $6000. The patient needs to have tinnitus that is worth $6000 since insurance companies usually don’t cover the device.”

There is renewed interest in tinnitus research in recent years, with scientists making advancements into understanding the root causes of tinnitus. Their work is opening new possibilities for future pharmaceutical treatments for some cases. The House Research Institute is concentrating new resources to tinnitus studies. Through the generosity of Stephen and Susan Chandler, the institute is creating a new Chandler Initiative on Tinnitus. Look for more news on this major initiative in the near future.

Tinnitus - Ringing in your Ears Tinnitus - A Complex Condition Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-it-us or tin-NIGHT-us) is one of the most common but misunderstood conditions. It is estimated that 50 million people in the U.S. suffer some degree of it. Tinnitus, or “head noise,” is characterized by a ringing, hissing, buzzing or roaring sound that seems to come from inside the ears. Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom that can be triggered by a variety of conditions or medications. Some degree of head noise is normal in all of us, and for most people, it goes away by itself and is not discernible at a conscious level. However, the frequency and intensity of tinnitus experienced by some people is great enough to be an annoyance or a major disruption to normal activities.
	Why It Happens The underlying causes for tinnitus are as varied as people’s individual experience of it. While researchers do not yet know all the specific mechanisms that trigger or worsen tinnitus, they have found that its onset can be associated with a wide array of conditions including -Inner ear disorders including age-related nerve damage - Noise trauma or over-exposure to noise (sound levels above 85 decibels) - Meniere’s disease - Acoustic tumors (neuromas) - Ear wax or other foreign objects in the ear canal - Head and neck trauma - TMJ or jaw joint misalignment - Ear infections, allergies - Eustachian tube dysfunction or middle ear problems (e.g. otosclerosis) - Muscle spasms - Cardiovascular disease - High doses of some chemicals or medications - Stress, depression and anxiety - Systemic disorders including hormonal changes, diabetes, anemia, thyroid dysfunction, aneurisms, high or low blood pressure, fibromyalgia and Lyme disease. Less common causes of dizziness may include autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), Ménière’s disease, cochlear hydrops, acoustic tumors or the toxic effects of some medications. Although dizziness can occur at any age, older age can increase the risk of developing certain conditions that lead to balance problems.
Helpful Treatments Some people find that reducing their intake of sodium, caffeine and nicotine can reduce or eliminate their tinnitus. Current treatments for those with chronic or severe tinnitus focus primarily on managing and minimizing conscious recognition of the internal noise. Counseling may help people deal with the anxiety and distraction associated with tinnitus. Stress management and biofeedback are the most common techniques applied. Habituation training, masking and other sound therapies, anti-anxiety drugs or other medications are some of the treatments recommended for those with chronic tinnitus. Additional treatment options include hearing aids, cochlear implants, electrical stimulation and TMJ treatment. When Head Noise Doesn't Go Away… (click here) More on Tinnitus An occasional fleeting sensation of ringing in the ears is a normal experience for most people. But for more than 50 million Americans, the sensation can be a very different experience. Referred to as “tinnitus,” it is a condition in which the ringing doesn’t stop, and can be so pronounced that it interferes with abilities to sleep, communicate and take part in everyday life. A number of different factors can cause tinnitus - head trauma, medications, allergies, ear infections and disease, acoustic neuromas, excessive ear wax, and even broader systemic disorders such as diabetes, high or low blood pressure, anemia, thyroid dysfunction, etc. Sometimes even cardiovascular disease can trigger it. But hearing loss is by far the most common cause for tinnitus. Therefore, it is important to have an evaluation by an ear specialist to help identify any underlying physical problems that might be causing the tinnitus and are treatable. With tinnitus being such a wide-spread health issue, the number of products touted as remedies for the problem are as varied as its causes. “There are a variety of quick fixes for tinnitus sold over the Internet,” said House Clinic Neurotologist William H. Slattery III, M.D. “Unfortunately none of these are very effective.” Others can actually be harmful. For example, eardrop products used in the ear for treatment of tinnitus can actually end up causing an ear infection or contribute to wax impaction. So what are the safe treatments that can offer tinnitus sufferers some relief? Most of the medications on the market are vitamin complexes, which have demonstrated some benefit. “It is unlikely they will be harmful or dangerous to one’s health, but as with all medications, people should consult their physician prior to starting a new treatment,” said Dr. Slattery. “The House Clinic utilizes medications, masking devices, or biofeedback for initial management of tinnitus,” he said. For people with severe cases of tinnitus, a Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment device has become available in the last couple of years. “This device is available for individuals who have very severe tinnitus. Unfortunately, the device is quite expensive, costing over $6000. The patient needs to have tinnitus that is worth $6000 since insurance companies usually don’t cover the device.” There is renewed interest in tinnitus research in recent years, with scientists making advancements into understanding the root causes of tinnitus. Their work is opening new possibilities for future pharmaceutical treatments for some cases. The House Research Institute is concentrating new resources to tinnitus studies. Through the generosity of Stephen and Susan Chandler, the institute is creating a new Chandler Initiative on Tinnitus. Look for more news on this major initiative in the near future.

Tinnitus - Ringing in your Ears