Tinnitus (pronounced “tin EYE tus”) is a frequent, unpleasant companion to hearing loss. Moreover, it is an invisible, unpleasant companion because it is heard only by the person who has it, but not by others. Many people describe their tinnitus as sounding like bells or crickets. For some, tinnitus is occasional, low level and largely ignored. For others, it is worrisome or frightening – they wonder if they have mental problems or if they have a brain tumor. Fortunately, tinnitus is not a sign of mental problems and only a tiny fraction of a percent of people with tinnitus and/or hearing loss have so-called “eighth nerve tumors.” But there is one small but important group of people who are tinnitus sufferers – their tinnitus is constant, extremely distracting, loud- to-blaring. For those people, tinnitus is a disabling condition.
Here’s the clinical picture: “Tinnitus is one of the most common clinical syndrome in the US, affecting 12% of men and almost 14% of women who are 65 and older. It only rarely afflicts the young, with one significant exception: those serving in the armed forces. Tinnitus affects nearly ½ the soldiers exposed to blasts in Iraq and Afghanistan” (Gropman, 2009). ....
Please click the link to read the full article, detailing recent research and treatments, as well as their efficacy: http://tucsonaudiology.wordpress.com/blog-posts/
