Tinnitus

Tinnitus, pronounced either “tin-NITE-us” or “TIN-it-us”, is a constant or intermittent sound heard in the ears and/or head, often described as ringing, roaring or buzzing. The tinnitus population is a large one. Most statistics show that 50 million American adults have tinnitus, 12 million of whom suffer its effects.

What causes tinnitus? The most prevalent KNOWN cause of tinnitus is noise exposure, but it is one we can control. As the noise in our world becomes more blaring (for example movie theatres, and sports arenas) more people complain of tinnitus. The majority of cases, however, have no known cause. Other contributors, triggers or conditions associated with tinnitus are aging, ototoxic drugs, head or neck trauma, otoschlerosis, Meniere’s disease, TMJ disorders, allergies and others.

Tinnitus is NOT a disease. It is a symptom that, similar to pain, headache, or fever, can vary in severity and can affect people’s lives to varying degrees. Frequently, tinnitus is accompanied by decreased sound tolerance and hearing loss. Decreased sound tolerance is known as hyperacusis. Many people with tinnitus, also have hyperacusis.

Where is the tinnitus produced? Tinnitus is likely triggered in the cochlea or the organ of hearing in the inner ear. In most cases, tinnitus is associated with hearing loss. One theory of tinnitus is called the “neurophysiological" model of tinnitus. This model portrays tinnitus as a problem involving various brain structures – not just the hearing system. In other words, tinnitus is triggered in the cochlea (the organ of hearing) , but produced in the brain. Thousands of hair cells reside in the cochlea and when they are damaged, the brain reacts to that damage and generates the tinnitus. Tinnitus is not just an “ear thing”, it is also a “brain thing”. Many people with tinnitus will exhibit normal hearing if tested by an audiologist. This is good news. However, if the person experiences tinnitus, it is generally an indication of damage to the hair cells in the cochlea, even though it may not yet show up on a hearing test. For many, tinnitus is a wonderful warning sign that they need to protect their hearing from loud noise in order to protect that hearing from further damage. Not only are the ear and hearing centers of the brain involved in tinnitus, but also the emotional system and the autonomic nervous system. As you can see, tinnitus is very complex.

What causes tinnitus to be worse one day from another? Fortunately, tinnitus is no more than a nuisance for the majority of people who have it. However, when tinnitus is severe, it can cause loss of concentration, sleep problems, and psychological distress. It can also make a deteriorating hearing condition or balance disorder appear worse. Tinnitus can fluctuate from day to day, and even from hour to hour. For some individuals, excessive use of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, stress and aspirin can make the tinnitus worse. To make matters worse, the medical community often tells the tinnitus patient that there is “nothing that can be done” and that they “need to learn to live with it”. Emotionally, this comment causes the patient to think about their tinnitus and feel helpless about something that is very intrusive in their life. This vicious cycle then continues and increases the levels of annoyance and affect on a person’s quality of life.

Since the dawn of human existence, nutritional supplements, herbs and phytonutrients have been used to heal. 40% of Americans have used some form of complementary integrative medicine to treat a wide variety of chronic conditions. This paradigm shift to alternative forms of therapy is gaining acceptance for many reasons including patient’s dissatisfaction with conventional medical care, which is perceived to be too intent on curing rather than preventing disease, and the fact that prescription medicines have many side effects. Conversely, the conventional western physician is typically skeptical of these practices because of the lack of double-blind randomized placebo-controlled studies.

Altering one's diet has been shown to improve tinnitus in some patients. Many patients with tinnitus report that certain supplements seem to have a variable benefit in reducing their symptoms. Nutrient supplementation to treat tinnitus has been extensively studied. The following have generated the most interest and support: magnesium, calcium, potassium, lipoflavonoids, B vitamins, copper, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Herbal remedies for this ailment include Ginkgo biloba, and black cohash. Acupuncture, hypnosis and stress reduction are also reported to be beneficial by some.

Many of these herbs and other alternative treatment regimens lack solid medical evidence in the form of double-blind research experiments, which would legitimize the utilization of these non –conventional treatments. Just because a product is “all natural” does not make it safe. Caution, common sense and self-education are critical when considering alternative therapies.

The most common treatments of tinnitus and Hyperacusis include “masking”, “Tinnitus Retraining Therapy” and “Neuromonics. Masking therapy involves the use of instrumentation that masks the tinnitus. TRT involves both directive counseling and sound therapy to “habituate” the tinnitus so that it is a “non issue” in the patient’s life. What is habituation? Our brain and nervous system learn to ignore sounds (or other types of sensations) that have no connection with anything negative. For example, we don’t actively listen to air conditions or other continuous background sounds. Such sounds are simply part of the background sound environment. The goal of TRT is to render tinnitus to the status of meaningless background sound that is easily ignored. Successful habituation to tinnitus would result in a person commenting, “I haven’t noticed my tinnitus all day” or “ I haven’t noticed my tinnitus in days. “ If there is no awareness of tinnitus, the tinnitus is not a problem. A study in 2004 compared the results of masking therapy with TRT and initially showed that both groups improved equally during the first six months of treatment. However, after the six months, the TRT group improved more than the masking group. TRT has received worldwide recognition since it was first defined by Dr. Pawel Jastreboff in 1990. Jastreboff claims 80% + success rate in reducing the annoyance of tinnitus with TRT.

What should you do if you have tinnitus? If you have not been medically evaluated, first talk to your physician. In addition, a full audiological evaluation is necessary by an audiologist. But remember, if you are told that “you need to learn to live with it…nothing can be done” you now know better!! The bottom line is to be proactive in doing all you can to help yourself.

Neuromonics utilizes a customized neural stimulus combined with specific music, delivered according to a coordinated program.
The treatment is designed to interact, interrupt, and desensitize tinnitus disturbance for long term benefit. The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment:

• Reduces symptoms quickly - Many patients enjoy some relief almost immediately.
• Treats the cause - Addresses underlying neurological causes of tinnitus
• Provides significant long-term relief - Relief lasts, even long after the treatment ends.
• Convenient and non-invasive - No medication or surgery required. It supports your body's own natural mechanisms to block out tinnitus symptoms.
• Clinically proven - Shown to be effective for 90% of tinnitus cases as demonstrated by 15 years of clinical studies.