What Parents Need to Know About School and Hearing Health
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Causes and Treatment of Tinnitus
According to the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association, “Tinnitus ("TIN-a-tus" or "Tin-EYE-tus") refers to "ringing in the ears" when no other sound is present. Tinnitus can sound like hissing, roaring, pulsing, whooshing, chirping, whistling, or clicking. Tinnitus can occur in one ear or both ears.”
One of the most common causes of tinnitus is hearing loss from noise exposure. Always remember to wear hearing protection around very loud noises.
Conditions that might cause tinnitus include:
Hearing loss
Ménière's disease
Loud noise exposure
Migraine headaches
Head injury
Drugs or medicines that are toxic to hearing
Anemia
Hypertension
Stress
Too much wax in the ear
Certain types of tumors
Too much coffee
Smoking cigarettes
Why is my tinnitus worse at night?
During the day, the distractions of activities and the sounds around you make your tinnitus less noticeable.
When your surroundings are quiet, your tinnitus can seem louder and more bothersome.
Fatigue and stress may also make your tinnitus worse.
How is tinnitus treated?
The most effective treatment for tinnitus is to eliminate the underlying cause. Tinnitus, in some cases, can be a symptom of a treatable medical condition.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the cause of tinnitus cannot be identified, or medical or surgical treatment is not an option.
In these cases, the tinnitus can still be managed using a variety of other methods.
Be sure to discuss with your doctor any medical treatment options before considering tinnitus management.
Tinnitus management can include:
Biofeedback
Hypnosis
Electrical stimulation
Relaxation therapy
Counseling
Habituation therapies
Tinnitus maskers
Sound machines
Will a hearing aid help my tinnitus?
If you have a hearing loss, there is a good chance that a hearing aid will both relieve your tinnitus and help you hear.
Your ASHA-certified audiologist can assist with the selection, fitting, and purchase of the most appropriate hearing aids for you.
Your audiologist will also help you learn how to get the best use out of your hearing aids.
If you would like to learn more and the cause and treatment of tinnitus, please click here.
