The Sound of Silence - Tinnitus

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Thursday, March 03, 2016

GoLocalWorcester Health Team and Beltone

“I’ve never heard silence quite this loud – it’s deafening.” That’s the sound of tinnitus.

And for nearly 50 million people, ringing in the ears, clicking, swooshing, hissing, and buzzing, or even musical sounds or tones taunt their days – and nights.

“It’s like this Whee! noise in my head all the time,” says Ozzy Osbourne.

Will.i.am says, “I don’t know what silence sounds like anymore…” 

Liza Minnelli has suffered since childhood when her father screamed loudly in her ear.

William Shatner stood too close to speakers on the set of Star Trek, and he’s suffered ever since.

Ronald Reagan’s tinnitus came after a gun was fired close by during a film shoot.

Tinnitus can be chronic, almost always present in all circumstances.  It can be episodic, or it can be temporary. It is usually associated with sensorineural hearing loss. And, sometimes, tinnitus can be a clue that something else is going on in the body, though it is not usually associated with a serious condition.  Chances are the cause of tinnitus will remain a mystery.

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Some underlying conditions that might cause tinnitus are:

Hearing Loss
Ménière's disease
Loud noise exposure
Migraine headaches
Head injury
Drugs or medicines that are toxic to hearing
Anemia
Hypertension
Stress
Wax buildup in the ears
Certain types of tumors
Too much coffee
Smoking cigarettes

Tinnitus can range from being mildly annoying and only presenting itself as a nuisance when it’s quiet, or at night, to a more serious presentation of hearing loss, balance issues, anxiety, and mental health issues which can become disabling.

Tinnitus is one of the more frustrating conditions of the vestibular system.  Therapies such as TMJ treatments, drug therapy, and behavioral and sound therapies may be helpful, as well as overall maintenance of general health, but the most proven treatment is the use of hearing aids to correct the hearing loss and noise perception, which can provide relief. 

In addition to hearing aids, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends the use of sound machines that provide a steady background of comforting noise that can be useful at night or in a quiet environment. Fish tanks, fans, low-volume music, and indoor waterfalls can also be helpful.

According to the American Tinnitus Association, over 60% of people experiencing tinnitus and hearing loss will receive relief while wearing hearing aids, and 22% will have significant relief. This is especially true among those who are younger, with less long-term tinnitus. Tinnitus education and support programs can also help, and for those who test completely deaf in both ears, cochlear implants may help.

{image_2}Many people harbor the feeling that nothing can be done about the constant ringing. Often, people with tinnitus will sleep with the television on, to distract from the ever present sounds, which loom larger at night.

One shouldn’t suffer silently, because there may be help to put those sounds at rest. Testing and diagnosis is a must.  Ear wax or any foreign object touching the eardrum can block outside noise from coming in, and noises in the ear can be the result. The brain tries to compensate for missing sounds by replacing them with phantom sounds. The same thing occurs with a noise induced hearing loss, where damage is done to the inner ear, and the brain is replacing missed sounds with phantom sounds.

It is important to not assume that tinnitus is just an annoying thing in life that happens, or that it comes with older age. Complications such as clinical depression can become a byproduct of having tinnitus.  Your hearing specialist is trained to seek out the answers.

If it’s determined a hearing aid is required to correct hearing loss or amplify sounds that can help cover up the tinnitus and make it less distracting, there are devices that can do this. Often, combined with education and counseling from a hearing healthcare professional, these devices can be used to teach how to reduce or remove the distraction of the tinnitus. Some of the unique devices available are both a hearing aid and sound generator, producing white noise, a low volume noise of mixed frequencies that makes the distressing tinnitus noise less noticeable.  Once this takes place, the brain will adjust to this new way of perceiving sounds, and the emotional importance associated with tinnitus is reduced. 

With proper diagnosis and treatment, the sound of silence can change for you – and that might be the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard.

This story is part of an ongoing series between GoLocal and Beltone - a sponsored content series.

 

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