Understanding Tinnitus
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Noise or Ringing in the Ears
Do you (or a loved one) experience a ringing in your ears or buzzing in the ears that no one else can hear?
If so, you are not alone. You have tinnitus, an audiological and neurological condition experienced by nearly 50 million Americans.
However, we can help with our individualized tinnitus care in Indiana. We have tinnitus clinics in Avon, Carmel/Noblesville, Delphi, Fishers, Franklin, Greenwood, Kokomo, Lafayette – East, Lafayette – South, West Lafayette, and Whitestown/Zionsville, Indiana.
Despite common misconceptions, effective treatments are available for tinnitus management, including sound stimulation therapy and brain training.
Understanding Tinnitus: Causes, Impacts, and Treatment Options
Tinnitus, commonly experienced as a ringing sensation in the ears or head, affects a staggering portion of the global population – approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, including about 50 million American adults. This makes it, alongside hearing loss, one of the most prevalent sensory conditions globally. While those unfamiliar with tinnitus might assume it’s a minor inconvenience, for many sufferers, the persistent sounds can significantly impact daily life.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present. While it is commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus can manifest many different perceptions of sound, including buzzing, hissing, whistling, “crickets chirping’, and clicking. In some rare cases, tinnitus guests report hearing music. Tinnitus can be both an acute (temporary) concern or a chronic (ongoing) health condition.
Millions of Americans experience tinnitus, often to a debilitating degree, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15% of the general public — over 50 million Americans — experience some form of tinnitus.
Tinnitus is medically defined as the perception of phantom sounds – sounds that have no external source. While some individuals only notice these sounds in quiet environments, others experience them continuously throughout the day, potentially affecting their quality of life in numerous ways:
- Sleep disturbances
- Difficulty concentrating
- Impact on work performance
- Anxiety and depression
- Interference with hearing ability
An important correlation exists between tinnitus and hearing loss, with approximately 90% of tinnitus cases occurring in individuals who also experience some degree of hearing loss, and vice versa.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus has multiple causes and can be temporary or permanent. In some cases, tinnitus is a symptom of a more serious medical condition.
The most common causes of tinnitus include:
- Age-Related Changes: The leading cause by a significant margin
- Noise Exposure:
- Sudden intense sounds (e.g., explosive noises)
- Chronic exposure through occupation or leisure activities (musicians, construction workers, etc.)
- Medications
- Viral Infections (including COVID-19)
The underlying mechanism in roughly 90% of cases involves deterioration of neural connections between the ear and brain. However, about 10% of cases may stem from other medical conditions, including:
- High blood pressure
- Thyroid disorders
- Vascular issues
- TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems
- Structural abnormalities of the head and face
Diet: Although not discussed often, it is believed that decreasing stimulants (i.e., coffee, sugar) can have a positive impact on tinnitus.
Head trauma: Head or neck trauma can result in injury to the hearing system, increasing hearing loss and tinnitus.
Stress: Stress can cause and/or exacerbate tinnitus.
Eardrum blockage: Tinnitus can result from restricted ear drum movement and/or wax build-up.
Jaw or ear disorders: Other disorders of the ear (i.e., otoscerlosis, Meniere’s Disease etc.) and/or jaw (i.e., TMJ) can also cause or increase tinnitus.
Hearing Loss: Hearing loss, also known as damage to the hearing nerve, is a major cause of tinnitus.
Exposure to Loud Noise: Exposure to loud noise is considered to be the most common cause of tinnitus. In this case, your hearing may be temporarily or permanently damaged, depending upon the severity of the sound.
Certain Medications: Specific medications, known as “ototoxic medications” are known to cause damage to the hearing nerve and/or hearing system. These medications are also linked to tinnitus.
Medication Considerations
Both prescription and over-the-counter medications can potentially trigger or worsen tinnitus. The Physician’s Desk Reference lists hundreds of medications that cite tinnitus as a possible side effect, including:
- Common pain relievers (NSAIDs)
- Ibuprofen
- Acetaminophen
- Aspirin
- Various life-saving medications (such as certain chemotherapy drugs)
Understanding the Mechanism
The prevailing theory behind tinnitus involves a process called ‘central gain.’ When the brain receives reduced auditory input due to hearing damage, it compensates by increasing neural activity. This increased activity results in the perception of phantom sounds, similar to how amputees might experience phantom limb sensations. While limb pain is the body’s typical response to physical trauma, the auditory system manifests damage through phantom sound perception.
What Types of Tinnitus Treatments are Available?
Despite common misconceptions, effective treatments are available for tinnitus management, including sound stimulation therapy and brain training.
There are multiple tinnitus treatments that can quiet the noise in your ears. You don’t have to live with this constant nuisance. Our audiologist (“hearing doctor”) can assess your situation, determine the most likely cause of your tinnitus and recommend the best options which will provide you with relief with our tinnitus care in Indiana.
Tinnitus and Sound Stimulation Therapy: The most effective treatment involves FDA-regulated technology designed to stimulate ear-to-brain neural connections. Clinical studies conducted between 2010-2020 consistently show significant improvement in patients using these devices, with some reporting complete daily relief from tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus and Brain Training: Recent research published in JAMA highlights promising results using specialized brain training programs. These exercises have demonstrated improvements in:
- Tinnitus perception
- Memory function
- Attention span
- Concentration abilities
The science of tinnitus treatment continues to evolve, with new research regularly uncovering additional therapeutic approaches. While tinnitus can be challenging to live with, understanding that effective management options exist provides hope for those affected by this condition.
Hearing aids & sound maskers: When needed, hearing aids can treat both the hearing loss and tinnitus. For most guests, hearing aids can provide partial or complete relief. Explore our website to learn more about our tinnitus hearing aids.
Earwax Removal: Earwax buildup is one cause of tinnitus. We can safely remove earwax, which can relieve or even resolve the tinnitus.
Medical Treatment: If our assessment indicates that other medical issues may be causing the tinnitus, we will refer you to a physician for diagnosis and treatment of the medical condition(s).
Alternative Treatments: Although there exists no cure, there is hope that a homeopathic or herbal remedy may help. Cognitive therapy may also be recommended based upon the hearing evaluation.
Schedule Evaluation: We’ll be glad to schedule an appointment with you to determine your hearing care needs. We can even let you do risk-free trial of hearing aids if needed.
Although there is no cure for tinnitus, there are treatment options available which can successfully help to greatly diminish, and sometimes get rid of, tinnitus altogether.
Tinnitus Care in Indiana
Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about our tinnitus care in Indiana. To find the HearBest location nearest you, please visit https://hearbest.com/locations. To meet our tinnitus experts, please visit https://hearbest.com/services/tinnitus-relief.
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Tinnitus and Sound Stimulation Therapy
The single-most effective treatment option available for patients suffering from tinnitus is prescriptive technology capable of stimulating the ear-to-brain neural connections. This technology is FDA-regulated for individuals with tinnitus. In fact, 100% of clinical studies between 2010 and 2020 indicated that patients who use tinnitus treatment technology have a significant reduction in their daily tinnitus experience – with some even reporting that ‘the ringing is gone all day.’
Tinnitus and Brain Training
Treating tinnitus with sound stimulation may be enhanced with brain training in many patients by providing additional support to the brain. Exciting new research was recently published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), pointing to a new BrainHQ game that can significantly reduce a patient’s perception of tinnitus.
‘Researchers found that patients with tinnitus, in the group with tinnitus, had improvements in tinnitus perception, memory attention, and concentration as compared with patients in the control group.’
~Dr. Piccirillo. Journal of American Medical Association, Otolaryngology
There is still significant research to be done in this area – there needs to be new exercises and improvements to the existing set – but seeing brain plasticity in patients with tinnitus is a great start! We invite you to learn even more by visiting www.HearBest.com/locations/ to find your local HearBest tinnitus treatment provider.
