It is estimated that within a year’s time, 10% of American adults experience some form of tinnitus. While some instances only last about five minutes, other cases are significantly more severe and long lasting. And though tinnitus is not life-threatening, it is still extremely disruptive to daily life and can cause a lot of discomfort and suffering for those who have it. Tinnitus can be distracting and make people have a lack of focus or inability to concentrate, and it can lead to sleep issues. And, understandably so, it can cause a great deal of stress, anxiety, and irritability. Thankfully, there are some treatment options for tinnitus.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus literally means “ringing” in Latin, and that is exactly what it is – a ringing in the ear. Others describe the noise like a buzzing or whistling. There are two types of tinnitus — subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus can only be heard by the person suffering from it, whereas objective tinnitus can also be detected by a professional examining your ears.
What causes tinnitus?
While the causes of tinnitus are not entirely known, the condition often indicates there is another underlying health issue present. Here are some factors that are linked to tinnitus:
- Older age
- Earwax buildup
- Exposure to loud noises
- Abnormal bone growth in ear
- Meniere’s disease
- Depression
- Stress
- Injury to head or neck area
Tinnitus Treatment
Because the causes of tinnitus are still being learned about, there is not one single treatment option that is best for everyone. However, an audiologist will be able to plan a specific plan catered to each individual. Sound therapy is an option that helps many patients with tinnitus. This tinnitus treatment involves exposing the patient to soothing sounds and customized music, in addition to informational counseling and other activities that are designed to help ease the stress of tinnitus and refocus the auditory system.
Coastal Hearing Care is glad to offer tinnitus counseling treatment. When you visit us, you can expect a clinical evaluation that will determine if and what type of tinnitus you may have. We will then discuss what treatment options are best for you.
We are located at 5860 Ranch Lake Blvd, Suite 110, in Bradenton. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please give us a call at 941-229-2122.