4 Facts About Tinnitus

If you find that you constantly or occasionally hear a noise that no one else can, there’s a good chance that you have a form of tinnitus. The sound you can hear is due to the fact that your hearing has been damaged and for many, it can be irritating. If you do think you have tinnitus you should speak to an audiologist because contrary to belief, not all forms of tinnitus are untreatable. Here are some other facts about tinnitus that you may not have been aware of.

It’s incredibly common

According to reports over ten percent of the adult population experience tinnitus and around fifty million people in the USA suffer from the condition in some form. Twelve million people have such a serious issue with tinnitus that they do seek medical help, often choosing to speak with an audiologist. You might think that tinnitus isn’t that common and this is due to the fact that people are often embarrassed to mention that they have it for two reasons. First, tinnitus is generally thought to be caused by neglecting your ears and exposing yourself to loud noises. While this isn’t always the case, it is also not an excuse to put off treatment. The other reason is that people often hope the issue will go away by itself but getting treatment can actually help correct the issue more quickly.

There’s not just one type of tinnitus

Tinnitus can be apparent in a number of different forms and will not always be the same noise. One person may hear ringing while another will hear buzzing and someone else might hear the music. There are two main types of tinnitus. One is objective, and the other is subjective. Subjective is the most common and can only be heard by the person who experiences it. This can usually be treated with masking hearing aids that block the sound for the individual. The other type is objective. An audiologist can actually hear objective tinnitus. This type of tinnitus can be treated with medicine or even surgery.

It’s not just the old

There is a common misconception that tinnitus is an issue that only the elderly suffer from and this isn’t true. One study found that 1 in 5 teenagers have some form of tinnitus while 3 in 4 experienced temporary tinnitus. More worryingly five percent said they never used hearing protection for loud noises. It is believed that due to personal listening devices, tinnitus will be far more common for young people in future.

Tinnitus has weird causes

Interestingly, studies have shown evidence that both stress and smoking can cause tinnitus. Stress may impact the blood flow in the ear causing the ringing sound of tinnitus while researchers believe that a chemical in cigarette smoke may also cause the condition.

If you think you may be suffering from tinnitus, schedule an appointment with an audiologist in your area. The audiologist will evaluate your symptoms and recommend the best treatment option for your specific needs.