Tinnitus can be experienced at any age, but it becomes more common as we get older. Globally, about 750 million people are affected by tinnitus, with the highest percentage (24%) of cases among adults aged 65 and above. Although it is more commonly characterized as ringing in one or both ears, the noise can take other forms, such as buzzing, whistling, clicking, hissing, humming, or even music. The volume and pitch of the noise can also vary between soft and loud, high and low.
Tinnitus is not recognized as a specific disease but as a symptom of dysfunction in an individual’s auditory system. If you hear sounds that come from inside your body rather than an external source, here’s what you need to do so as not to let tinnitus worsen and disrupt your daily functioning.
Consider the underlying cause
There is no single unified cause for tinnitus. It can come from age-related hearing loss, inner ear damage from loud noise exposure, or ear canal blockage from infection or wax build-up. Pre-existing health conditions — particularly those more common among older adults — can also cause or worsen tinnitus, as is the case with pulsatile tinnitus, which is a rare form of tinnitus that is in time with the heartbeat due to heart disease or blood vessel abnormalities.
Tinnitus can also develop as a side effect of taking certain anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and antidepressants. Lastly, research discusses how tinnitus may have a genetic basis, after variations in genome sequences were found in individuals with tinnitus but not among those who did not have tinnitus. However, this heritable component of tinnitus requires further study, and environmental factors can still determine the full manifestation of tinnitus.
See an audiologist
Even if you think the tinnitus is bearable, it’s still important to make an appointment with an audiologist to properly rule out the factors causing it. Audiologists can diagnose and treat ear conditions ranging from hearing loss and ear damage to tinnitus and balance disorders. Try to be as detailed as possible when describing how the tinnitus affects you, e.g. when the ear ringing or noise began, whether the noise is continuous or intermittent, and how many times it has affected you so far. After diagnostics and hearing tests, the audiologist will design a care strategy that can improve your hearing.
Explore treatment options
Depending on your diagnostic results, the treatment for your tinnitus may involve earwax removal, treatment of the underlying health condition, or hearing aids. Hearing aids help tinnitus patients by reducing their perception of tinnitus and improving communication, as the device amplifies external sounds usually masked by the tinnitus. Hearing aids can be acquired either through prescription or over the counter, so you’ll want to discuss with your audiologist which will be the best option for your hearing healthcare.
Since audiologists have a wide scope of duties from diagnosis to treatment and management, they can also work with otolaryngologists or ENT (ears, nose, throat) doctors for a more comprehensive care strategy if you’re currently taking medication or dealing with other health issues. With the rise of e-health solutions, digital interventions for tinnitus are currently being developed to reduce the demand-treatment gap and make ear care more accessible — which is great news for older patients with limited mobility. On top of virtual screenings and consultations, e-health can be utilized for several other treatments like psychological counseling, tinnitus retraining therapy, and auditory training.
As a Doctor of Audiology, Dr. Amy Sarow takes a holistic approach to tinnitus by counseling you on your hearing health, discussing various treatment options, and providing tools for managing the symptoms of tinnitus and their effect on your concentration, mood, sleep, and day-to-day life.
Written by Alyson Asia Clark
