Tinnitus
Do you suffer from ringing in your ears?
What is tinnitus?
That hissing, buzzing, whistling, clicking or rushing sound in your ear is called tinnitus. It’s a medical term for the sensation of hearing sound in your ears or head when no external sound is present. Sadly, up to 90% of people with tinnitus also have noise-induced hearing loss.¹
Tinnitus is an audiological and neurological condition that can be mild and intermittent, severe and persistent, or anywhere in between. It is also the leading service-related disability among ex-service personnel in the UK.²
There is no proven cure for tinnitus, but the British Tinnitus Association says that treatment options that provide tinnitus relief do exist. David Peel can provide hearing aids with sound generating features that are clinically proven to soothe the irritating sounds of tinnitus and provide relief.
Tinnitus symptoms vary from person to person. For some, it’s infrequent or temporary and only noticeable when their surroundings are still and quiet. For others, the noise is severe and constant, and profoundly affects their quality of life.
¹ WebMD
² British Tinnitus Association
In the UK, more than 40% of people over 50 years old have hearing loss, rising to more than 70% of people over the age of 70.
- British Tinnitus Association
What causes tinnitus?
Scientists and health experts don't know the exact physical cause of tinnitus. However, several sources are known to trigger or make tinnitus worse including:
Loud noises and hearing loss – exposure to loud noises is the biggest cause of tinnitus. It can destroy the non-regenerative cilia, the tiny hairs in your cochlea, causing permanent tinnitus and/or hearing loss
Aging – as you get older, those same cilia gradually deteriorate which can lead to tinnitus and/or hearing loss
Ototoxic medications – some prescription medications such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and antidepressants are harmful to your inner ear and the nerve fibres connecting your cochlea to the brain
Hearing conditions – conditions like Otosclerosis and Ménière’s disease are known to cause tinnitus
Health conditions – Tinnitus can also be a symptom of health conditions like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stress and head injuries
