Tinnitus Awareness week is May 16th through the 23rd. Sound Oasis is committed to helping raise awareness and educating everyone about Tinnitus. This month we will be doing a series of posts to help you better understand Tinnitus. As you join us this month we will be discussing what the symptoms are, the two main types of tinnitus, what causes it, being diagnosed, and treatment and management plans. We hope you join us each week to learn about Tinnitus and this often debilitating ailment.
What Is Tinnitus? — Causes and Treatment
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external noise is present. Tinnitus is not a condition or a disease. Tinnitus is a symptom of another, possibly, more serious problem. Millions of Americans suffer from tinnitus of some form. Approximately 50 million people in the United States alone report experiencing it occasionally. Roughly 20 million report their symptoms to be chronic. There are about 1 to 2 million cases where tinnitus is extreme and debilitating. Though it is more difficult to diagnose, children also suffer from tinnitus. For that reason, it is believed that about 1 in 3 children suffer from it and 1 in 12 suffer from severe tinnitus causing a significant impact in their daily lives.
Tinnitus is often referred to as “ringing in the ears.” While hearing a ringing in your ears is a common symptom it also manifests itself in other ways. Some people experience the perception of buzzing, hissing, whistling, swooshing or even a clicking sound. Others experience muffled sounds and occasionally a disruption in their equilibrium. In rare cases people have heard music. Children, especially younger ones, often have difficulty articulating what the noise they are hearing is. It is even possible that they are unaware that not everyone can hear the noise and believe it is natural. In cases where the tinnitus is causing an impact in daily activities children have been able to draw out what they hear to help parents and doctors understand.
With Tinnitus Awareness Week just around the corner there is a lot more information to come. Don’t forget to browse our selection of Tinnitus Therapy sounds available for immediate download and the freshly updated Tinnitus App available in the Google Play store and on the iPhone through the App Store. Next week we will be discussing the different types of tinnitus, subjective and objective. Don’t forget to tune in to help raise more awareness. See you then…