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May Is Better Hearing Month: Tinnitus Treatment Solutions Aims to Curb Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Ringing in Ears

By Barbara Cromarty

Last Updated: 05/26/2016

copyright © 2016 digitaljournal.com

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May Is Better Hearing Month: Tinnitus Treatment Solutions Aims to Curb Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Ringing in Ears

CAMPBELL, CA–(Marketwired – May 26, 2016) – Did you know that exposure to loud noise can cause ringing in the ears (tinnitus), as well as permanent hearing loss?

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), roughly 10 percent of the U.S. adult population, or about 25 million Americans, has experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes in the past year. Tinnitus may sound like a humming, buzzing, high pitched tone, or other sound in either one or both ears. Approximately 15 percent of Americans (26 million people) between the ages of 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to noise at work or during leisure activities. While tinnitus and hearing loss are separate conditions, they are related. Many people have both conditions simultaneously.

This May, Better Hearing Month, audiologists at Tinnitus Treatment Solutions (TTS) are encouraging people to protect their hearing by:

  • Wearing hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85dB for a long period of time;
  • Turning down the volume when listening to the radio, the TV, MP3 player, or anything through ear buds and headphones; and
  • Walking away from loud noise.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells that are found in our inner ear. Hair cells are small sensory cells that convert the sounds we hear into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged our hair cells cannot grow back, causing permanent hearing loss,” explains TTS audiologist Dr. Nicole King. “While not all tinnitus is caused by exposure to noise, we find that many of our tinnitus patients also suffer from some degree of hearing loss. We help patients to manage both conditions.”

The loudness of sound is measured in units called decibels (dB). Either brief exposure to a very intense sound (such as a gunshot or blast), or prolonged exposure to any loud noise over 85 (dB), (such as concerts, lawnmowers, fireworks, car stereos at full volume) can lead to tinnitus and/or hearing loss. The effects of this damage may be cumulative.

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