By Dr. Noël Crosby, Au.D.
Tinnitus is the perception of a sound that has no external source. Some of the more common sounds reported are: ringing, humming, buzzing, and cricket-like. It can also be a combination of sounds, and for many, the sound of their tinnitus actually changes. It can be constant or intermittent and is heard in one ear, both ears or in the head. Tinnitus is almost always accompanied by hearing loss. If you have tinnitus, you should have your hearing tested by a hearing health professional, preferably an audiologist. Some 30 million adults suffer from persistent tinnitus (it can also affect children). For 12 million, the problem is severe enough that it impacts their everyday life. Since tinnitus can be a symptom of a more serious disorder, it may be important to have an appropriate health evaluation after your evaluation with an audiologist or ENT.
No one should tell you that there is nothing that can be done. There is help available! There may not be “a cure” but there are many ways to “manage it” or “take the edge off” the disabling effect tinnitus can have on someone. “Patients in tinnitus clinics typically are either curious, concerned or distressed,” says Dr. Noël Crosby, Au.D., who sees many tinnitus patients at Advanced Hearing Solutions. “Curious patients have some basic concerns and inquire about therapies. Concerned patients are bothered by their tinnitus, and want detailed information and strategies for reducing the impact of their tinnitus. Distressed patients are very bothered. They require professional help to reduce their stress and improve their coping abilities”. None of these responses are wrong. Everyone’s tinnitus is a bit different, and we are all different people with different life experiences, weaknesses and strengths. Tinnitus can have a direct influence on: Thoughts and emotions, hearing, sleep, and concentration.
Hearing
Some people with tinnitus (39%) say that the sound of the tinnitus competes with or masks things they are trying to hear. Most people with tinnitus also have hearing loss, and it is not always easy to tell whether hearing difficulties are due to the hearing loss or to the tinnitus. There are many things you can do to improve your listening strategies, and hearing
aids often improve hearing and tinnitus! In fact, if a tinnitus patient has a hearing loss, amplification is the single most efficient treatment for many. We offer Tinnitus Assessments at Advanced Hearing Solutions where we thoroughly evaluate the person’s hearing and assess their reaction to their tinnitus. We do not provide all the treatments available but we do provide resources and referrals and help guide you through the treatments options available.
Sleep
Many tinnitus sufferers (20%) report that when they are in their quiet bedroom, their tinnitus interferes with them getting to sleep. It can also make it more difficult to get back to sleep when we wake up in the middle of the night. Some even report that their tinnitus is worse after waking up in the morning, or even after a brief afternoon nap. There are many things you can do to nurture your sleep experience, and most individuals with tinnitus benefit from sound therapy while falling asleep. Sleep deprivation can dramatically increase stress… and stress can increase tinnitus, creating a nasty circle that negatively impacts the tinnitus sufferers’ quality of life! Dr. Crosby also uses CBD to help patients with sleep and anxiety around their tinnitus.
Don’t be a victim of crazy remedies
F.D.A. Approved Tinnitus Treatments Available for Severe Tinnitus Sufferers and other information can be obtained through the American Tinnitus Association. ATA.org.
Managing tinnitus
There are many things you can do to help yourself manage your tinnitus. Finding a good tinnitus care provider can greatly improve your quality of life! If you have tinnitus, you likely have a hearing loss as well. The poorer your hearing, the more difficulty you will have communicating. In addition to your hearing loss, your tinnitus can also interfere with your hearing. Counseling and sound therapy, including the use of hearing aids, can be very helpful.
Please seek help if you are experiencing tinnitus. Don’t suffer alone. There ARE things that can help you with the severity of your tinnitus.
Advanced Hearing Solutions
Using the latest and most sophisticated technology, we determine if you have hearing loss–and, if you do, we determine the degree and type of hearing loss. If your hearing loss requires medical or surgical intervention, we can refer you to a physician (otologist or neurologist) for appropriate treatment. If your type of hearing loss can best be treated with the use of hearing aids and/or other assistive listening devices (which is true in the great majority of cases), we can select any of a wide range of hearing devices and custom fit them to your ear, programmed to augment your hearing at those frequency levels where your hearing loss is greatest.
PROFESSIONAL BIO
Dr. Noël Crosby, Au.D., owner and audiologist at Advanced Hearing Solutions in Englewood, FL is a licensed professional whose 30-year career has been devoted to helping people of all ages hear and understand more clearly. Dr. Crosby received her BS and MS degrees from FSU and her Doctorate in Audiology from UF. Her credibility as an authority grew during her tenure as the Director of Audiology at the Silverstein Institute in Sarasota, FL from 1991-1998. Today, in addition to managing a successful audiology practice, Dr. Crosby is involved in creating hearing loss awareness through her jewelry and accessory company AuDBling.com. She has served and is serving on various professional boards and committees and was president of the Florida Academy of Audiology in 2000 and 2001.
Advanced Hearing Solutions
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