What causes Tinnitus?

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus can arise in any of the following areas: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, or by abnormailities in the brain. Some tinnitus or head noise is normal. If one goes into a sound proof booth and normal outside noise is diminished, one becomes aware of these normal sounds. We are usually not aware of these normal body sounds, because outside noise masks them. Anything, such as wax or a foreign body in the external ear, that blocks these background sounds will cause us to be more aware of our own head sounds. Fluid, infection, or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum (tympanic membrane) can also cause tinnitus.

One of the most common causes of tinnitus is damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear. Advancing age is generally accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment, and consequently tinnitus. Today, loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise, firearms, and high intensity music. Some medications (for example, aspirin) and other diseases of the inner ear (Meniere's syndrome) can cause tinnitus. Tinnitus can in very rare situations be a symptom of such serious problems as an aneurysm or a brain tumor (acoustic tumor).

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What is Tinnitus

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. In many cases it is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance that eventually resolves.

It is not a single disease, but a symptom of an underlying condition. Nearly 36 million Americans suffer from this disorder. In almost all cases, only the patient can hear the noise.

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Serious Buzzing

Do you hear that. It sounds like a constant humming and buzzing. It's extremely irritating and annoying. I can't sleep, I just want it to stop.

Does that sound like you?

Due to damage to the ear, many people suffer from Tinnitis. It's that humming and buzzing that you hear, that only you can hear, that keeps you up at night, that won't go away.

There is relief. There is help. We are here to help and to give you that relief. Give us a call or come in to get started and finally stop the noise.

Gig Harbor, WA (253) 851-3932
Tacoma, WA (253) 473-4394

The Impact of Treated Hearing Loss on Quality of Life

It would seem that hearing is a second-rate sense when compared to vision in our visually oriented modern society. People with hearing loss delay a decision to get hearing help because they are unaware of the fact that receiving early
treatment for hearing loss has the potential to literally transform their lives. Research by the National Council on the Aging on more than 2,000 people with hearing loss as well as their significant others demonstrated that hearing aids clearly are associated with impressive improvements in the social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of people with hearing loss in all hearing loss categories from mild to severe. Specifically, hearing aid usage is positively related to the following quality of life issues. Hearing loss treatment was shown to improve:

Earning power
Communication in relationships
Intimacy and warmth in family relationships
Ease in communication
Emotional stability
Sense of control over life events
Perception of mental functioning
Physical health
Group social participation

And just as importantly hearing loss treatment was shown to reduce:

Discrimination toward the person with the hearing loss (i.e. pretending you hear)Anger and frustration in relationships n
Depression and depressive symptoms
Hearing loss compensation behaviors
Feelings of paranoia
Anxiety
Social phobias
Self-criticism

If you are one of those people with a mild, moderate or severe hearing loss, who is sitting on the fence, consider all the benefits of hearing aids described above. Hearing aids hold such great potential to positively change so many lives.

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HEARING LOSS IN AMERICA

Many people are aware that their hearing has deteriorated but are reluctant to seek help. Perhaps they don't want to acknowledge the problem, are embarrassed by what they see as a weakness, or believe that they can "get by" without using a hearing aid. And, unfortunately, too many wait years, even decades, before getting treatment.

"Sound is not only a guide to the practicalities of living….it is also an aesthetic pleasure." (Farewell to Fear)

But time and again, research demonstrates the considerable negative social, psychological, cognitive and health effects of untreated hearing loss . . . with far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.

Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to:

•irritability, negativism and anger
•fatigue, tension, stress and depression
•avoidance or withdrawal from social situations
•social rejection and loneliness
•reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety
•impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks
•reduced job performance and earning power
•diminished psychological and overall health
Hearing loss is not just an ailment of old age. It can strike at any time and any age, even childhood. For the young, even a mild or moderate case of hearing loss could bring difficulty learning, developing speech and building the important interpersonal skills necessary to foster self-esteem and succeed in school and life.

At the Better Hearing Institute, our mission is to help educate the public about hearing loss and promote the importance of prevention and treatment. On this website, you will find basic information about hearing loss, including advances in diagnosis and treatment, a review of different hearing aids, and resources for medical care and financial assistance.

If you think you or a loved one suffers from hearing loss, don't delay another day. Visit a hearing healthcare professional and take the first step toward a world of better hearing.

Sergei Kochkin, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Better Hearing Institute


I CAN HEAR YOU NOW

I CAN HEAR YOU NOW