Tinnitus, commonly known as “ringing in the ears,” affects over 50 million Americans. Tinnitus is when you hear sounds in your ears or head when no external sound is present. It often presents itself as a ringing, buzzing, humming, or whooshing sound. Anyone of any age can experience tinnitus and it ranges from mildly annoying to debilitating. If you have tinnitus, it does not mean you have hearing loss. In fact, most people experience tinnitus at some point in their life. If you don’t have hearing loss then you may notice your tinnitus worse at night, when your surroundings are quiet. Those with hearing loss might experience their tinnitus more persistently because their world is quieter and they can hear the ringing more often.
At Professional Hearing Solutions, we work with you to determine the cause of your tinnitus and create an effective management plan. We offer tinnitus therapy which retrains the brain to ignore the ringing in your ears. If you experience hearing loss and tinnitus we have hearing aids that have a masking feature. These will play soothing sounds to distract your brain from your tinnitus, providing you with relief. If you suspect you have tinnitus, then make an appointment with us today and we will help you hear peacefully again.
Symptoms of tinnitus
There are a number of different symptoms for tinnitus, but the most common include hearing the following sounds:
- Ringing
- Buzzing
- Whooshing
- Hissing
- Clicking
These sounds are heard only by the person experiencing the tinnitus, but can sometimes be detected by a hearing professional. These sounds can be heard constantly or intermittently. Some people have problems sleeping when they have tinnitus because they feel as though their brain never “shuts off.”
Causes of tinnitus
There are several factors that can cause tinnitus, including the following:
- Exposure to loud noise
- Medication
- Hearing loss
- Ear infection
- Trauma to the ear
- Earwax buildup
- Meniere’s disease
- Vascular disorders
Tinnitus may be caused by one or more of these conditions and some can be resolved easily if the cause is temporary, such as an infection or a buildup of earwax.
If you are suffering from tinnitus schedule an appointment with a hearing professional to be evaluated. The hearing provider will work to identify the cause behind your tinnitus and recommend the appropriate treatment.