Tinnitus
Tinnitus
What is tinnitus?
A person with tinnitus hears the sensation of a sound even in silence. Often described as ringing in the ears, the sound may resemble a buzzing, roaring, hissing, swooshing or clicking. Sometimes the phantom sound is low-pitched, high-pitched, soft or loud, and it may occur in one or both ears. It may be temporary (acute) or ongoing (chronic).
Nearly 50 million Americans - or 15 percent of the population - experience tinnitus, while 2 million people have a debilitating case of it, making it difficult to work or sleep, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
While anyone can get tinnitus, most cases are found among senior citizens; people employed in loud workplaces; musicians and music lovers; motorsports and hunting enthusiasts; and military personnel. Tinnitus is the most common disability among U.S. military veterans. Tinnitus is increasing amongst young people who expose themselves to loud sounds.
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus isn’t a disease but a reaction in the brain to changes in the ear, often caused by noise overexposure. Tinnitus usually does not signal a serious health problem, but is a symptom of unhealthiness in your hearing system. The perception of sound in the absence of an external stimulus is thought to be a miscommunication at some point along the auditory pathway. Other areas of the brain including other senses and attention and emotion centers can also be altered.
While the most common factor associated with tinnitus is noise overexposure, there are other associated factors including:
- Hearing loss
- Middle ear obstructions
- Ear and sinus infections
- TMJ disorders
- Certain medications
Tinnitus can also be influenced by poor sleep, dietary factors and mental health.
Our Approach
Our management approach includes a multidisciplinary approach including audiology, otology, and social work, to provide patients who experience bothersome tinnitus options for management.
Our comprehensive approach includes medical evaluation, audiological evaluation and an educational approach to information sharing.
Appointment Information
If you are interested in receiving tinnitus services at University of Michigan Health, you can make an appointment by contacting us at 734-936-8051.
What are the symptoms of tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a sound, such as a ringing or roaring, that does not come from a person's surroundings (nobody else can hear it). The sound may be continuous or come and go, it may keep time with the person's heartbeat, or it may coincide with the person's breathing.
To the person who is affected with tinnitus, the sound seems to come from one ear or from inside the head. In rare cases, clicking or crackling sounds or other noises in the ear can be heard by the doctor as well as by the person who has tinnitus.
Normal sounds that come from a person's surroundings are "heard" when sound waves strike the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates, and those vibrations enter the inner ear, where they stimulate nerve cells to create signals that travel along the acoustic nerve to the brain. The brain then translates the signals into patterns that a person recognizes as sounds.
Tinnitus occurs when there is no external source of sound waves. For reasons that are not understood, the brain receives signals, either from inside the head or from within the ear, that cause the sensation of hearing a sound.
Tinnitus is most noticeable (and bothersome) when the affected person is in a quiet environment. The condition is often treated by using background noise to mask the ringing or roaring that is caused by tinnitus.
How is tinnitus diagnosed?
If tinnitus is suspected, an otolaryngologist (also known as an ear, nose, and throat doctor, or an ENT) may order the following tests to further evaluate the auditory system:
- Audiology/audiometry to gauge hearing loss
- Specialized audiology testing which recreates and matches the perceived volume and pitch of tinnitus, masks the noise or discovers the volume at which external sound becomes painful
- Imaging if necessary, including CT, MRI, or angiography
An otolaryngologist may also make referrals to other specialties including neurology, dentistry, physical therapy and mental health professionals.
How is tinnitus treated?
It is important to understand that for most cases of tinnitus, there is no medical cure or treatment currently available. But management strategies can be used in effectively reducing the negative impact tinnitus may have on your life. Tinnitus management is usually a combination of sound therapy and mental health strategies to best address how to improve the experience of tinnitus.
Clinical Trials
Kresge Hearing Research Institute, inside the Department of Otolaryngology at University of Michigan Health, is on the cutting-edge of researching mechanisms underlying tinnitus and developing novel, basic science-based treatments for patients with tinnitus through research funded by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations. Contact the Kresge Hearing Research Institute if you are interested in participating in a research study.
Patient Resources
These home treatment tips can help to reduce symptoms while you wait to see if tinnitus goes away. They can also help you cope if you have tinnitus for a long time.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine.
Cut back on or stop drinking alcohol and drinks that contain caffeine.
- Avoid tobacco.
Stop smoking, and don't use smokeless tobacco products. Nicotine use makes tinnitus worse by reducing blood flow to the structures of the ear.
- Be careful with NSAIDs.
Limit your use of aspirin, products containing aspirin, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Exercise regularly.
Exercise improves blood flow to the structures of the ear. But avoid extended periods of exercise, such as bicycle riding, that keep your neck in a hyperextended position.
- Avoid loud noises.
Limit or avoid being exposed to the noises that may be causing your tinnitus. If you can't avoid loud noises, wear protective earplugs or earmuffs.
- Try to ignore the sound by directing your attention to other things.
- Practice relaxation techniques.
Try biofeedback, meditation, or yoga. Stress and fatigue seem to make tinnitus worse.
- Use other sounds to mask tinnitus.
Quiet rooms can cause tinnitus to seem more distracting. Background noise may reduce the amount of noise you hear. Play music or white noise when you are trying to fall asleep or anytime you find yourself in a quiet place. Try using a fan, a humidifier, or a machine that makes soothing sounds such as ocean waves.
- Try the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba.
Some studies suggest that it may help relieve tinnitus, but other studies don't show a benefit. Further studies are needed to find the best dosage.
Locations
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Otolaryngology Clinic | Brighton Center for Specialty Care 7500 Challis Rd
Entrance 1, Level 2
Brighton, MI 48116-9416Get Directions -
Otolaryngology Clinic | Northville Health Center 39901 Traditions Dr
Floor 2
Northville, MI 48168-9493Get Directions -
Otolaryngology Clinic | Taubman Center 1500 E Medical Center Dr
Floor 1 Reception A
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5312Get Directions -
Otolaryngology Clinic | West Ann Arbor Health Center-Parkland Plaza 380 Parkland Plaza Ste 210
Floor 2
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-6201Get Directions
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