TINNITUS is commonly referred to as "ringing

Transcription

1 Tinnitus Guide

2 TINNITUS is commonly referred to as "ringing in the ears." Tinnitus can create many unique perceptions of sound, including humming, hissing, whistling, swooshing, and clicking. In some rare instances, tinnitus patients claim to hear music. Tinnitus can be an acute, transient condition or a chronic, ongoing ailment. Millions of people are affected by tinnitus, frequently to a debilitating degree, making it one of the most common health problems in America. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that almost 15% of the general public over 50 million people experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people have chronic tinnitus, of which about 2 million have extreme and debilitating tinnitus. The most common type of tinnitus is: Subjective Tinnitus: Head or ear noises that are perceivable to a specific patient. Subjective tinnitus is usually associated with auditory and neurological reactions to hearing loss, but may also result from a wide range of causes. More than 99% of all tinnitus cases are of the subjective type. DID YOU KNOW TINNITUS AFFECTS 1 IN 5 PEOPLE

3 TINNITUS SYMPTOMS It is possible to have tinnitus in just one or both ears, and the condition may come and go. Tinnitus can get loud enough to intrude noticeably, and from time to time, it can mask natural sounds. Even though tinnitus most typically affects adults, people of all ages may experience tinnitus. Tinnitus is a phantom sound generated inside the brain which only the affected person can hear. These sounds occur without other signs or symptoms, so tinnitus can be considered a stand-alone condition. However, if tinnitus follows from hearing loss, dizziness, head injury, or a concussion, then it is in all likelihood a symptom of damage to the sensory organ in the inner ear or Ménière's disease. Common descriptions of tinnitus sounds include cicadas, wind, crickets, fluorescent lighting, jogging engines, grinding metallic or dripping tap water. Although the cause of your tinnitus may be difficult to determine, researchers have identified possible causes to explain the constant sound. Knowing the cause will help you decide which of the high-quality treatments will work best for you. Hearing a consistent ringing in your ears during the day isn't pleasant, and you may also have trouble falling asleep or concentrating at the office. The irritating noise, loss of sleep and inability to work may cause anxiety and affect your mood and your relationships. Many people with tinnitus regularly describe a connection between tinnitus and higher levels of stress. This may also lead to depression due to the chronic humming or ringing that feels unavoidable. Different medical problems often associated with tinnitus include arthritis of the neck, multiple sclerosis and glomus jugular tumors, which can affect the ear, upper neck, base of the skull, and the surrounding blood vessels and nerves. Tinnitus may also be a side effect of medications, head or neck trauma, poor nutritional choices or earwax.

4 TESTING FOR TINNITUS Call us to find an audiologist with expertise in tinnitus. Prior to your first appointment, make note of your precise symptoms, when they arise and what types of situations make them better or worse. This will help you get the greatest value from your visit. Here is a simple checklist of questions to help your physician or hearing professional determine the best way to treat your tinnitus: How long have you experienced the sounds? Are the sounds random or constant? Are the symptoms worse at certain times of the day? Which ear is causing the issue? Both? How loud is the noise? Is the pitch high or low? Is the issue very irritating or just a little annoying? Does the sound ever change? Do some things make the symptoms worse, such as loud noises or drinking coffee? If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for tinnitus, we encourage you to speak with an audiologist or hearing professional in your area for help with your tinnitus problem. Give us a call at for a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and find an audiologist in your area who can help you. DID YOU KNOW 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous noise levels

5 TINNITUS CAUSES CAUSES OF TINNITUS Presbycusis: Hearing loss due to aging is called presbycusis, and usually starts around the age of 60. The gradual decline of the inner ear can also cause tinnitus. Loud noise exposure: Exposure to loud noises, such as chain saws, firearms, large equipment, jet engines, or loud music through headphones or at concerts can precipitate and aggravate hearing loss and tinnitus. In fact, many people experience temporary hearing loss and tinnitus right after attending a loud concerts or nightclub, and prolonged exposure can cause permanent damage. Bad Habits: Researchers don't know why, but alcohol, smoking cigarettes, drinking caffeinated drinks, lack of sleep, and stress can also cause tinnitus. Common illnesses: Anemia, impacted earwax, diabetes and allergies are all medical aliments that have been associated with tinnitus. If you have difficulty determining the cause of your tinnitus, there are a variety of hearing specialists who can help you figure it out, including: Otolaryngology: An ear, nose and throat (ENT) medical doctor-specializing in ear issues. You will be referred in case your audiologist suspects you have otosclerosis, Ménière's disease or impacted earwax. Neurology: Neurological damage like whiplash or head trauma can harm the delicate inner ear structure, which may result in tinnitus. Neurological illnesses like multiple sclerosis can bring about tinnitus, as can tumors on the auditory or vestibular nerve. Pharmaceuticals: Medicines may have the side effect of causing the ringing or humming sensation in the ear. Some patients have reported much more severe symptoms after taking some medications. One of the most common medications that is known to cause tinnitus is aspirin, in addition to antibiotics, most cancer medicines, water pills, and some antidepressants.

6 Cardiology: If your case of tinnitus resembles a pumping, beating or pulsating sound, it can be the result of damage to your blood vessels. Audiologists and physicians refer to this condition as pulsatile tinnitus. Some cardiac causes of tinnitus are: High blood pressure: Tinnitus resulting from high blood pressure can worsen considerably with caffeinated beverages, stress or alcohol. Turbulent blood flow: the kinking or narrowing of the neck artery or vein. Cardiovascular disease: Poor circulation can cause tinnitus when blood flow to the internal ear is reduced or cut off. Arteriovenous malformation (AVM): this malformation of the capillaries can result in tinnitus that takes place in one ear. TINNITUS may be related to other medical problems, such as: COMMON Hearing loss - Damage to the sensory cells in the inner ear, especially because of age or noise exposure. Severe hypertension - People with high blood pressure may also experience throbbing headaches, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and seizures. Ménière's disease - This ailment is characterized by the presence of three symptoms: tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss and dizziness. RARE Otosclerosis - This condition of abnormal bone growth around the tiny bones of the middle ear can cause gradual hearing loss and tinnitus. Acoustic neuroma - this slow-growing, benign tumor on the auditory nerve can also cause facial paralysis, headache, nausea and vomiting. Atherosclerosis of the carotid artery - Placing strain at the carotid artery can sometimes cause pulsatile tinnitus, where a person hears a rhythmic, throbbing, swooshing sound.

7 MÉNIÈRE'S DISEASE Ménière's disease is an internal ear ailment that usually affects only one ear. This condition can cause pressure or pain within the ear, instances of dizziness or vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus. Despite the fact that Ménière's disease can affect any age range, in most cases it affects people in their 40s and 50s. This condition is considered to be chronic and there is no known cure. You may have unexpected dizzy spells after experiencing tinnitus or muffled hearing. Signs and symptoms vary by individual, with a few having many attacks over numerous days, and others experiencing the condition only once in a while. Despite the fact that there is no precise cause of Ménière's, researchers believe it has something to do with high pressure of the fluid in a part of the inner ear. The outer part of the inner ear consists of bone structure, while the inner part has a tender membrane. This sensitive part of the ear consists of tiny sensors that resemble hairs and respond to the movement of fluid, called endolymph. TRIGGERS OF MÉNIÈRE'S Head injury Infection to the inner or middle ear Allergies Alcohol use Stress Side effects of medications Smoking Fatigue Family history of the disease Respiratory infection Recent viral illness Abnormal immune response Migraines Stress or anxiety

8 STAGES OF MÉNIÈRE'S Early stage: During this time, someone will have unexpected and often out-of-the-blue episodes of vertigo that can last from 20 minutes to an entire day. A person's ear may feel blocked or full, and they may have some hearing loss, which typically goes away after the episode ends. It is also common to feel the effects of tinnitus. Middle stage: Symptoms of vertigo have a tendency to become less excessive in this stage, even as hearing loss and tinnitus increase in severity. Many people may also have lengthy time periods of remission. End stage: All through the last stage of Ménière's, people will not suffer from vertigo as frequently, and some may never again experience vertigo. However, tinnitus and hearing loss will likely get worse, and they may have problems with balance much more frequently. To be diagnosed with Ménière's, you have to have tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo more than one time. Since these symptoms can be associated with other medical conditions, it is sometimes hard to diagnose the disease. It is common to experience depression or anxiety due to hearing loss. We encourage you to speak with an audiologist or hearing professional in your area for help. Give us a call at for a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and find an audiologist in your area who can help you. TREATMENT OPTIONS Many treatments involve people changing diet or taking medications. Salt consumption: Salt helps the body retain water, and reducing consumption of sodiumrich beverages and foods can help alleviate symptoms. Decrease caffeine: Caffeinated drinks can worsen the symptoms of tinnitus. Monosodium glutamate (MSG): Many food producers have already started to stop using MSG due to its dangerous properties. It is critical to check labels to make sure MSG is not in your food. Small meals: Experts have shown there are benefits to the body when consuming five to six smaller meals during the day instead of 3 larger meals. This can improve symptoms of Ménière's by increasing your body's metabolism. Stress management: Anxiety and stress are both related to Ménière's, both can be a cause and symptom of the disease. Getting a better understanding of how to manage and pick out stressors can alleviate some symptoms.

9 TINNITUS RELIEF For many people who have tinnitus, this persistent and annoying soundtrack is impossible to escape and it can make ordinary activities extra difficult. Tinnitus may sometimes be resolved by treating the underlying symptom, when it can be identified. The following suggestions may provide relief from some common causes. YOUR HEALTH Have your hearing checked: hearing loss and tinnitus often occur together. If you have hearing loss, wearing hearing aids may give you much needed relief. Wear hearing protection: If you re working around loud equipment, going hunting, or dancing near the speakers at a live concert, don't forget to put on foam earplugs or earmuffs so your tinnitus doesn't get worse. Exercising: Manage your blood pressure without going to the physician or taking medicine by adopting an exercising regimen that will help you shed some weight and reduce your high blood pressure. Exercise also helps reduce stress and anxiety. Eating habits: Reduce the amount of sodium in your diet and make a new habit of eating whole grains, fruits, greens and healthy fats. Lower caffeine intake: Drinking too much espresso or soda may irritate tinnitus. You can reduce drinks with high levels of caffeine by replacing them with other beverages, such as tea. DID YOU KNOW Of those with tinnitus, almost 40% experience tinnitus during 80% of their day

10 KEEP A JOURNAL Keep track of the symptoms you are experiencing and when they occur, what you are doing or eating, and write them down in a journal. This will help identify any possible triggers that cause your tinnitus. Simply making small modifications can help reduce your tinnitus. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES Autogenic relaxation: thinking of a phrase and repeating it as you breathe slowly will help relax your mind and body. Visualization: Visualize calming your mind and body by daydreaming of a place that makes you feel safe and secure. Take every sense into consideration, including how the place smells and feels. Muscle relaxation: Begin by tensing the muscles in your feet for about five to ten seconds, then slowly release them. Do the same thing for each muscle group in your body. FORGET ABOUT IT A few tinnitus patients say that learning to ignore it is one of the approaches to relief. Whether you want to read a book, paint or go trekking, those activities can take your thoughts off the constant noise and refocus your attention on things that make you happy. Try playing white noise, ocean sounds or different environmental sounds to distract your mind. Adjust the volume on the sound machine to cover your tinnitus, so that you hear the noise in the room instead of the one in your head. Tinnitus affects so much of your day and can really make life difficult. We encourage you to speak with an audiologist or hearing professional in your area for help. Give us a call at for a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and find an audiologist in your area who can help you. DID YOU KNOW In the past year, about 22.7 million adults in the U.S. experienced tinnitus for more than 3 months, or about 10% of the adult population of the United States.

11 Mark figures it started while he served as a mechanic in the Air Force. He remembers working 14 hour days for long stretches at a time -- and mostly in noisy environments. One day he started noticing a faint hissing sound, somewhat annoying when he was in a silent room, yet bearable enough. Mark learned to cope with it and couldn t hear it when he was around noise. It was not annoying enough to tell his Air Force colleagues about it; after all, he had seen worse hardships and surely they would make light of his nuisance. It was truly an invisible condition only he knew he had. Sure, he used the earplugs and noise-canceling headphones he was issued. He knew it was sound policy to wear them. Only later did he find out that these headphones and earplugs only canceled out about 40 decibels of sound. This means he was consistently exposed to over 100 decibels of jet engine noise throughout the week. It was much worse when he had to work close to the engines and afterburners. Over time the hissing sound grew louder and more prevalent, and at times so distracting that he could not concentrate on his tasks. What was worse is that no one seemed to understand what he was going through nor his increased moodiness and frequent desire to be alone. At times the hissing grew so loud that Mark felt he was in basic survival mode. He didn't understand why the noise grew worse occasionally and why he couldn't do anything about it. War veterans are among the most afflicted by tinnitus, which is the number one disability among all service members. Unfortunately, those who struggle with the ringing in their ears become more prone to other mental health problems, like depression, anxiety, and selfmedication. Luckily, Mark started reading up on his condition and scheduled to visit an audiologist experienced in tinnitus management. After a series of hearing tests, the doctor trained him on strategies to minimize the impact of his condition. He learned that he should keep a journal of his activities to learn what factors worsened his symptoms. Was it caffeine? Watching TV? Playing certain sports? He also learned about sound therapy and sound generators that could help mask the tinnitus with certain types of external noises. In his case, rain and ocean surf sounds helped the most. Finally, Mark learned about hearing protection strategies, including avoiding or mitigating situations where he might be exposed to extremely loud sounds. He got some custom earplugs made and he chose with care which environments were safe for him; he loved live music but knew he had to be careful when going to live shows. The audiologist had prescribed integrated hearing aids with both sound amplification and tinnitus masking features. Since he also started to lose some of his hearing, he could wear his new hearing aids 24 hours a day both to hear better as well as to mitigate the tinnitus. Mark also learned that 1.5 million veterans receive disability benefits for tinnitus and he applied for and received help. Even though tinnitus is an invisible condition, approximately 1 in 5 Americans from all walks of life fight the same battle. Chances are you know of someone who lives with tinnitus. If you know of a veteran with these symptoms, ask them to apply for disability benefits from the VA and to schedule a consultation with an audiologist.

12 TINNITUS TREATMENT The first step in treating tinnitus is discovering why it's happening. Tinnitus assessment and treatment is difficult because the experience is unique to the individual. Measuring a subjective experience is very challenging. An audiologist will begin by asking the checklist questions, found at the beginning of this guide. The audiologist will also ask you for your medical history. After a discussion about your symptoms and health records, the examination will start with a visible inspection of your ears and standard tests of your hearing ability. TINNITUS-SPECIFIC TESTS Pitch match test will help your expert determine the frequency of sound which you are hearing. For this examination, you may be asked to identify the pitch of your tinnitus by way of comparing it to externally presented tones. Loudness fit check will help quantify the level of the sound you are listening to, which can range from a whisper to a shout. Visible analog scale can be used to decide perceived loudness, due to the fact the tinnitus is frequently perceived much louder than the decibel degree it matches. On a scale from zero to ten, you ll be asked to rate the loudness. Getting treatment for your tinnitus can go a long way to improving your life. We encourage you to speak with an audiologist or hearing professional in your area for treatment options. Give us a call at for a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and find an audiologist in your area who can help you.

13 TREATING YOUR TINNITUS Depending on the results of your exam, the expert may recommend: For hearing loss with tinnitus, hearing aids may provide comfort from tinnitus. Many hearing aids these days include tinnitus therapy features. Tinnitus masking or noise suppression gadgets, which are worn inside the ear like a hearing aid and which produce either a steady sign or tonal beats to compete with the sounds you re listening to. The expert will use pitch matching and loudness matching tests to set the signal at a level and pitch that matches the tinnitus you re perceiving. Tinnitus retraining treatment (TRT), which makes use of cognitive behavioral remedies in combination with a hearing device, to help you discover ways to reduce or ignore the ringing noise in your ears. A white noise gadget. TREATING THE CAUSE OF YOUR TINNITUS Sometimes tinnitus is a symptom of another medical condition. In those instances, treating the underlying clinical circumstance may relieve your tinnitus. Tinnitus is a side effect of many medications. If your tinnitus starts or worsens after beginning a new medicine or changing a dosage discuss, it right away with your pharmacist or doctor to determine if you need to stop, reduce, or change the medicines you are taking. TINNITUS MEDICATIONS Medications cannot cure tinnitus, but there are some that can assist in suppressing the symptoms. However, recognize that these medications may come with side effects like dry mouth, blurry vision and coronary heart troubles. Some reports have also stated that tinnitus symptoms can improve using alternative treatments. DID YOU KNOW Tinnitus treatment methods with substantial tinnitus amelioration includes hearing aids and music, and the provision of hearing aids offers substantial benefit to a significant number of people suffering from tinnitus.

14 ABOUT US At SayWhat, we want everyone to be able to participate in the conversation. We believe that hearing loss should not hold anyone back from enjoying life's pleasures and having an active social life. We encourage and inspire people affected by hearing loss to take action so they can enjoy all that life has to offer. There are many ways to cope with hearing loss, but the first step is accepting hearing loss must be addressed. SayWhat has the right audiology partners and the right hearing aid products to start you on the journey to full hearing. The first step to better hearing is to visit an audiologist or hearing professional. Contact us for help in scheduling a free consultation with your local hearing professional. COMPANY INFORMATION: Phone: Address: 78 SW 7th St - Suite 500 Miami, Florida Website: info@saywhathearing.com

15 REFERENCES AND RESOURCES American Tinnitus Association (ATA): A non-profit organization that provides information and news about tinnitus. They also raise money for tinnitus research. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): A professional organization that includes information for hearing loss and tinnitus on their website. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): An organization that conducts and supports research in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. American Hearing Research Foundation: A non-profit foundation that funds research into hearing loss and balance disorders related to the inner ear and is also committed to educating the public about these health issues. American Academy of Audiologist: The world s largest professional organization of, by, and for audiologists.