Head
Noise
by Elvira Maricic |
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as
a mother of two young children, Kristen Meade (not her real
name) is used to being constantly surrounded by sound. But occasionally,
she hears sounds even when her children are in school and the
house is quiet. What Kristen has is tinnitus, and she is one
of nearly 36 million Americans who suffer from this condition.
"Tinnitus
is basically a ringing in the ears," says Scott A. McNamara,
MD, a Washington, DC, otolaryngologist. Some people describe
it as a high pitched ringing, while for others it's a hissing
sound or a low, roaring noise. And while for most people
it's a temporary condition, "About 10 percent of the population
live with it constantly," Dr. McNamara notes. The condition
is often very mild, and only noticeable at certain times.
"Often, people are busy all day and don't really notice it
until they come home where it's quiet," says Dr. McNamara.
Meade,
39, who has had tinnitus for years, is one of the fortunate
ones who are only aware of it occasionally. "I get it a couple
times a month. It comes on out of the blue, but it isn't disruptive
because it goes away after a minute or so." However, her late
father, who also had the condition, wasn't as fortunate. "I
know that my dad had tinnitus almost constantly, because it
made it very hard for him to hear. He saw a doctor about it,
but I believe he was told there was no specific treatment
for it," she adds. "There is no permanent cure for tinnitus,"
says Dr. McNamara, but he stresses that it's important to
see a physician and rule out any other, potentially serious,
conditions.
Contributing
Factors
Tinnitus
usually comes from damage to the microscopic endings of the
hearing nerves in the inner ear. Injury to these nerves can
bring on not only tinnitus, but also hearing loss. However,
although tinnitus is often a symptom of hearing loss, not
everyone with tinnitus has a loss of hearing. Because the
aging process usually involves some hearing nerve impairment,
tinnitus may worsen as people age. While most causes of tinnitus
cannot be identified unless they are linked to a specific
factor, some conditions that contribute to the condition are
allergies; blows to the head; neck injuries; noise exposure,
including fireworks, loud concerts and sports events, especially
those that take place indoors; tumors; diabetes; and a variety
of other problems.
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While
so far there is no permanent cure for tinnitus, a new
treatment may alleviate this constant head noise.
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Tinnitus
can also be a symptom of otosclerosis, which is the stiffening
of the middle ear bones. "Sometimes, simply a build up of
wax in the ear canal can cause tinnitus," notes Dr. McNamara.
He adds that certain medications can also be a factor. "Large
doses of aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications may cause
it," he says, noting that other medications, such as anti-depressants
or hypertension medications may also contribute to it and
that the condition can sometimes be improved by eliminating
the medication. Kristen Meade wasn't surprised to hear this.
"Looking back, I remember that my father was on hypertension
medication," she says.
Tuning
Out
An
otolaryngologist may be able to determine the specific cause
of tinnitus through a series of extensive tests and lab work,
and a variety of medications may be used to relieve the noise.
Unfortunately, most cases of tinnitus cannot be identified.
However, certain measures can be taken to lessen the severity
of the condition. "Patients should avoid caffeine and decrease
their salt intake," says Dr. McNamara. In addition, adequate
rest, daily exercise, keeping blood pressure under control,
and avoiding loud sounds can keep the condition in check.
If
your tinnitus is severe, concentration and relaxation exercises
and white noise, such as radio static or a white noise machine,
may help you cope with the condition. Tinnitus maskers, which
look like hearing aids and produce sounds that cover up tinnitus,
are also available. Also, check in your area for a self-help
group that may assist you in developing other coping strategies.
A
New Treatment
While
so far there is no permanent cure for tinnitus, a new treatment
may alleviate this constant head noise. At a recent American
Otological Society meeting, researchers John J. Shea, MD,
and Xianxi Ge, MD, both from the Shea Ear Clinic, Memphis
presented study results suggesting that a new treatment that
injects lidocaine into the inner ear intravenously can eliminate
or alleviate tinnitus associated with various inner ear diseases,
especially those involving the hair cells.
The
results showed that tinnitus relief, complete or partial,
was achieved in 35 of 50 (70 percent) ears in one month, in
20 of 26 (76.9 percent) ears tested at three months, and ten
of 12 ears tested at one year (83.3 percent), all resulting
from lidocaine perfusion of the labyrinth through the middle
ear (some patients had their afflicted ears tested more than
once). The results also showed that more relief was achieved
in better-hearing ears.
Although
this isn't a permanent cure, it may be good news for those
who are tired of hearing sounds that others can't.
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