Tinnitus, either way you pronounce it, is annoying enough for some people to seek help. Tinnitus, which is derived from tinnire, Latin for “to tinkle or to ring like a bell,” is the term that refers to the perception of head noise when none is present externally. This mystifying “head noise” is often described as ringing in the ears, although some people hear hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping, or clicking. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant, have single or multiple tones, and the perceived volume can range from subtle to shattering. About 12 million Americans have tinnitus severely enough to seek medical attention, and 2.5 million find it disruptive enough to be disabling.
What we recommend – after a medical examination, visit a Tinnitus Specialist
An audiologist who specializes in tinnitus can help identify the cause and provide treatment and management. However, a treatment program that is successful for one person may not be appropriate for another. Most audiologists incorporate the use of sound generators (tinnitus maskers) into their tinnitus therapy. A sound generator looks like a hearing aid and produces a specially engineered broadband “white noise” to cover up the tinnitus – visit www.solacefortinnitus.com. The masking sound offers a distraction and is usually more tolerable than the tinnitus. If a person has hearing loss as well as tinnitus, there is a good chance that a hearing aid will both relieve tinnitus and help with the hearing.