Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a perception of sound when no outside sound source is present. People with tinnitus with usually complain of “ringing in the ears”, but also may perceive the sounds as a hissing, roaring, pulsating, whooshing, chirping, whistling or clicking. Tinnitus may seem louder or more constant in quiet environments. Exactly, how tinnitus is produced remains a mystery.

Just about everyone has experienced brief episodes of mild tinnitus at some point in their life. However, as many as 30 million Americans experience constant or annoying tinnitus and up to one million of those feel that their tinnitus prevents them from leading a normal life.

Tinnitus is not a disease. Tinnitus is a symptom that is associated with many different problems, both physical and psychological. Unless the appearance of tinnitus can be linked to a specific incident or factor, most causes of tinnitus are never determined. Some known causes of tinnitus are blows to the head, caffeine, ototoxic medications, anemia, hypertension, noise exposure, hearing loss, stress, certain types of tumors and impacted earwax.

The most effective treatment for tinnitus is to eliminate the underlying cause. You should have a medical examination with special attention given to factors that are sometimes associated with tinnitus such as blood pressure, kidney function, drug intake, diet and allergies. Also, you should be evaluated by an audiologist to determine if hearing loss is present. If a hearing loss is present, there is a good chance that a hearing aid will not only help the person hear but relieve the tinnitus as well. If a specific cause of tinnitus cannot be identified, the tinnitus itself may be treated. Drug therapy, vitamin therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis and tinnitus maskers are different types of treatments that have been helpful for some people. Sometimes, just reassuring people that they don’t have a serious disease or disorder can allow them to cope with or ignore their tinnitus.

The audiologists at St. John Hospital and Medical Center are equipped to provide a complete range of audiologic and vestibular testing and rehabilitative services, including hearing aid selection and dispensing.

Appointments

Appointments can be scheduled by contacting the Audiology department 313-343-3165. You can also contact audiologists at St. John Hospital via e-mail at audiology@stjohn.org