Tinnitus is a medical word for head noises, from the latin word tinnere which means ringing. The noises may be ringing, buzzing, crickets, thumping, rushing, whistling or clicking.
Who has it?
About 10% of Australians suffer from tinnitus. Any age or sex can be affected but the majority (70%) are between 50 and 70 years of age. It is not necessarily associated with hearing loss and it alone will not make you go deaf.
What causes it?
Tinnitus is a sign that there is a disturbance along the hearing pathway and the cause needs to be investigated by your doctor or an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist. Tinnitus can occur as a result of exposure to excessive noise, a condition of the middle ear or general body condition such as anaemia. There are many other causes although sometimes no cause will be evident.
What can be done?
Sometimes the tinnitus can be treated medically but a few can be treated with subsequent relief. Medication can be used or in severe cases surgery. Most people are satisfied after investigation there is no serious cause and will need to seek relief by other means.
Other forms of treatment include Tinnitus Retraining Therapy which incorporates counselling, relaxation and listening to another noise (low level white noise masking) for a 6 hous period per day.
Simply listening to other sound such as sea, rain, fan or music can provide relief. Use of a tinnitus masker and/or hearing aids can also provide relief. Studies have shown that the use of masking does not damage hearing. About 75% of hearing aid or masker users find a period of relief when the device is removed.
What can make it worse?
- Exposure to loud noises wear hearing protection
- Neck and back problems
- Smoking
- Jaw malalignment
- Drugs aspirin, streptamyacin, ibuprofen, warfarin, gentamyacin, anti-athritic drugs, diuretics
- Caffeine tea, coffee, coca-cola
- Alcohol
- Stress
- Tiredness
How can I manage it?
Try altering your lifestyle to accommodate the changes that may be needed to reduce tinnitus dietary changes (try some herbal remedies such as vitamin B niacin, ginko biloba, zinc) reducing stress (stress management and relaxation techniques). Better manage time avoid boredom or too much activity. Change your attitude to toward the problem. Check that relaxation, recreation, sleep, diet, exercise and having fun are in order
For further information regarding Tinnitus click here.
