Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the medical term for the sensation of ringing, hissing, clicking or any abnormal sound in your ear. Millions of people complain about tinnitus. Almost everyone has experienced tinnitus at some time in his/her life.

About 90% of people with hearing loss have tinnitus. There can be many different causes for tinnitus and each has a different treatment. For this reason, it is best to have your ears evaluated by an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist like those at Beach Cities ENTS.

Below are some steps which you can take to reduce and improve your tinnitus in addition to the evaluation by your Beach Cities ENTS Specialist.

1. Avoid loud noise. If you know you will be exposed to loud noise (such as loud music, power tools, airplanes, etc.), please use ear protection. Ear plugs can be purchased at most pharmacies and custom plugs are available through most hearing test or hearing aid centers.

2. Avoid caffeinated beverages or other stimulants. Foods and beverages containing coffee, tea, cola and chocolate should be reduced or eliminated. All of these products can aggravate tinnitus.

3. Stop smoking or use of any nicotine products. Tinnitus has been shown to decrease with the avoidance of nicotine.

4. Review all your medications with BCENTS doctor or your primary Physician. Be sure to avoid excessive use of aspirin-containing products and non-steroidal inflammatory medications (NSAIDS). One a day is not a problem but frequent use of many of these products is known to directly cause tinnitus. In those cases, stopping them usually reverses the problem. The products include: Advil, Aleve, Alka-Seltzer, Anacin, Anaprox, Ascriptin, Aspergum, Bromoseltzer, Bufferin, Darvon, Dristan, Ecotrin, Excedrin, Feldene, Fiorinal, Ibuprofen, Mediprim, Midol, Motrin, Naprosyn, Nuprin, Pepto-Bismol, Saccharin, Trigesic, Tolectin, etc. If you are uncertain if your medications contain aspirin or ibuprofen, check with your pharmacist.

5. If your tinnitus causes difficulty with sleep, you can use the radio or television at home to mask the tinnitus by turning the volume to the lowest level which you can still hear. The audiologist can assist you also in educating you to how masking work and they sell masking devices.

6. Some patients have reported improved symptoms with the use of Lipoflavanoids and Vitamins, found in Lipoflavanoids Plus which can be purchased in the BCENTS Torrance office.

7. Sound therapy produces white noise that can mask the tinnitus, making it less bothersome. Techniques such as biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, tinnitus retraining, sound therapy, and masking are available. The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment combines tinnitus masking with behavioral desensitization. Biofeedback training is also available at the Drake Institute in West L.A, www.drakeinstitute.com.

8. It is generally helpful to reduce the stress in your life, if possible. Relaxation and exercise are recommended techniques for treating tinnitus.

9. The American Tinnitus Association is an organization which provides support and information on tinnitus. They publish a magazine, videos, educational brochures, books and organize self-help and support groups for the problem of tinnitus. To contact them, you can call 1-800-634-8978, or visit their website at www.ata.org, or write the American Tinnitus Association at P.O. Box 5, Portland, OR 97207. Another websites and resource can be found at: http://www.tinnitusresearch.org,

10. Hearing aids can produce the dual benefits of improving hearing and masking the tinnitus. This therapy is especially effective in those with untreated hearing loss that is causing the tinnitus. Patients usually will not notice or be bothered by their tinnitus while wearing their hearing aids.

TINNITUS IN TEENS

MAY MEAN A HEARING HAZARD

A new study finds that nearly 30% of teenagers have ringing in their ears, a condition known as tinnitus.

The World Health Organization has warned that 1.1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to portable digital music players and damaging levels of sound at music festivals where sound levels can top 120 decibels for hours.

According to the National Institutes of Health, repeated exposure to sound levels over 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. While the teens in the study showed no hearing loss in testing, they were found to be more sensitive to loud noises, which can be a sign of damage to the hearing nerves and portend increased risk for developing hearing problems in future years.

Here are several easy ways to prevent permanent hearing damage:

1. Follow the 60/60 rule when listening to music: keep the volume under 60% and only listen a maximum of 60 minutes a day.

2. Parents can protect their kids by using Apple's parental control setting to set lower sound levels on iPhones and iPads which can be locked in place with a password.

3. Whenever possible, use over-the-ear headphones rather than ear buds.

4. Protect your ears from loud noise at a concert or exercise class with customized earplugs.

Following these tips will help significantly decrease your risk of hearing problems down the line.