Do you experience any of the following sounds in your ears: hissing, roaring, clicking, or ringing?
How often do these sounds happen? Often? Constantly?
Is the sound annoying or bothersome?
If you feel like you can relate to any of these questions, you may have tinnitus. Call us today at 530-749-9734 for more information.
Tinnitus (tin-NY-tus) is a common condition where a person experiences a ringing, rushing or buzzing in the ears. Luckily, tinnitus does not cause deafness, but it can affect your lifestyle and regular activities. Our professionals will be able to help you understand and experience relief from this persistent problem.
Approximately 25 million Americans experience tinnitus. It can be associated with other health problems and is typically the result of:
Hearing Loss: Most people who experience tinnitus also have some kind of hearing loss.
Loud Noise: Exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Continued exposure can make the tinnitus and hearing loss worse.
Medication: Over 200 medicines can cause tinnitus, especially aspirin, NSAIDs, and even some antibiotics and antidepressants. Ask your doctor if your medication could be the cause.
Other potential causes: Allergies, tumors, or problems with the heart, blood vessels, jaw, or neck.
If you think you have tinnitus, we need to take a thorough health history and perform an audiometric test. This will determine if you have tinnitus, the likely cause, and best treatment.
It’s important to rule out any other medical issue that may be causing the tinnitus. It is oftentimes suggested to visit an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor before talking about treatment.
Smoking, drinking alcohol, and loud noise will all make your tinnitus worse. If you plan to go somewhere loud or work/play in noisy environments, wear ear protection. This is especially important for hunters, construction workers, airport workers, yard maintenance workers, musician, or for concerts.
Don’t be afraid to ask people to face you when talking. Seeing their faces, expressions, and mouths may help you understand them easier. If people begin to shout, politely remind them you just need them to speak more clearly, not loudly.
After studying your health history and audiometric testing results, we will determine which treatment option is the right one for you.
Hearing Aids can help you hear better by covering up tinnitus. Many patients experience full or partial relief.
Maskers are small electronic devices similar in size and shape of hearing aids which emit a sound that masks the tinnitus.
Drug Therapy may provide some relief from tinnitus. In addition, some nutritional supplements may help.
Allergy Treatment can reduce tinnitus because allergies can cause a worsening of tinnitus. If you have allergies, treatment might help both issues.