Tinnitus Awareness Week
February 6, 2018Tinnitus Awareness Week
This week is Tinnitus Awareness Week. Tinnitus is defined as the perceived ringing in the ear. About 1 in 5 people will have tinnitus and other symptoms that signal hearing loss or an injury to the ear. Tinnitus is incredibly common, and we urge you to continue reading to raise awareness this Tinnitus Awareness Week.
Tinnitus as a Condition
Tinnitus is an audiological and neurological condition. Audiological because the condition takes place in the ear; and neurological because we use the signals in our brain to hear. According to the American Tinnitus Association, there are two types of tinnitus.
“Subjective Tinnitus: Head or ear noises that are perceivable only to the specific patient. Subjective tinnitus is usually traceable to auditory and neurological reactions to hearing loss, but can also be caused by an array of other catalysts. More than 99% of all tinnitus reported tinnitus cases are of the subjective variety.”
“Objective Tinnitus: Head or ear noises that are audible to other people, as well as the patient. These sounds are usually produced by internal functions in the body’s circulatory (blood flow) and somatic (musculo-skeletal movement) systems. Objective tinnitus is very rare, representing less than 1% of total tinnitus cases.”
Follow Up
Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus. There are certain treatments that people with tinnitus can try. Treatment options include hearing aids, sound therapy, behavioral therapy, medicine, and experimental therapies. More research needs to be conducted to solve a problem that so many Americans suffer from.
Do you feel as though you’ve been educated on Tinnitus Awareness Week? Comment below!