Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Associates P.S.
Specializing in disorders of the Ear, Nose and Throat.

Tinnitus Northwest Hearing Center of Puyallup

Diagnosis and Treatment of Tinnitus

According to the American Tinnitus Association, "Tinnitus is the perception of a sound in the ears or head where no external source is present." Tinnitus is a sound that originates in your head without an outside acoustic source. Tinnitus can sound different allergy relief

to each person, but is often described as ringing, buzzing, hissing, crickets, roaring, falling water, or whistling. Many people of all ages report having tinnitus, but most often occurs in the elderly population. Tinnitus often occurs with hearing loss, though it is possible to have tinnitus without having hearing loss. In fact, almost 20% of people that report tinnitus have normal hearing. Noise exposure is the most common cause of tinnitus. Tinnitus does not cause hearing loss. Hearing loss may occur if you have a history of unprotected noise exposure or as you get older, but the ringing in your ears does not cause hearing loss. There are many theories on the source of tinnitus; it may come from your inner ear (the cochlea) or possibly from your central nervous system. The use of alcohol,

"Tinnitus can sound different to each person, but is often described as ringing, buzzing, hissing, crickets, roaring, falling water, or whistling."

caffeine, or nicotine does not influence frequency of your tinnitus. It is possible that hormonal changes may play a role in tinnitus. Many people report that their tinnitus can negatively affect their concentration, sleeping patterns, and sometimes people can become irritable, have anxiety, or depression due to their suffering with tinnitus. Many patients say that their tinnitus is less noticeable when there are other noises around and that when they are in quiet situations their tinnitus is more obvious. Some patients feel relief from their tinnitus when there is external noise, so it may be beneficial to sleep with a radio on or a sound machine. For more information on tinnitus you can call for an appointment.