Tinnitus

Delivering Our Tinnitus Management Expertise To Greenville And Upstate South Carolina

“The constant ringing in my ears is driving me out of my mind!” If you haven’t said those exact words, you’ve probably thought them if you’re on the lonely journey that comes with the incessant ringing in your ears.

About 30 million Americans experience acute or chronic tinnitus on a regular basis, but between 1 and 2 percent of the population experience a degree of tinnitus that is so intense that it leads to anxiety, depression, strained relationships with family and friends, difficulty concentrating, and/or sleep loss.

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What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the one case where the problem really is “all in your head.” Rather than coming from any external source, tinnitus is a perception of noise within your ears or head, described as ringing, buzzing, whooshing, roaring, crickets, etc.

Though the exact cause of tinnitus is not known, many researchers recognize the condition as a neurological issue similar to “phantom limb” experienced by amputees.

Possible contributors to the condition might include damage to the inner ear (usually associated with hearing loss), head trauma, frequent or ongoing exposure to extreme noise, a middle ear infection, a buildup of fluid in the middle ear, Meniere’s Disease, and earwax buildup. Tinnitus symptoms often coincide with the use of various ototoxic drugs or medications, high blood pressure, hyper/hypothyroidism, diabetes, and acoustic neuromas.

Daniel Hewson performing tinnitus evaluation

Hearing expert discussing tinnitus diagnosis results with a female patient

Tinnitus Evaluation And Diagnosis

There are three main processes included in the evaluation and diagnosis of your condition by Upstate Hearing’s tinnitus experts.

1. We use testing to determine the general origin of the sounds you are experiencing.
2. We work toward determining the general frequency or frequencies of your tinnitus symptoms.
3. We try to determine the loudness of your tinnitus.

Once we have assembled all of this information, we also evaluate your hearing to determine whether hearing loss is a contributing factor and to determine if and how we can help bring relief to your tinnitus symptoms.

We Provide Hope For Managing The Ringing In Your Ears

Because of the way it negatively impacts your overall health and quality of life, finding relief from your condition is among our primary concerns. However, without a definitive cause, there is no definitive cure, which means there is no one-size-fits-all treatment or program for tinnitus management.

The vast number of products, services, and dietary practices claiming to cure tinnitus are likely to be a waste of your time and money, but there are two categories of proven technologies and techniques capable of helping you manage your condition and reduce the impact of tinnitus on your life.

Hearing Aids and/or Masking Devices

Because tinnitus is common in patients with hearing loss, hearing aids often serve the dual role of improving hearing and reducing tinnitus symptoms. In addition, there are electronic devices that generate noise capable of masking or covering up the noise of your tinnitus to help decrease tinnitus awareness and provide relief.

Counseling or Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of counseling that has been thoroughly researched in relation to tinnitus management. Though it does not eliminate tinnitus, CBT works to reduce the perception of tinnitus symptoms and provides coping techniques designed to reduce the impact of the condition on your well-being and lifestyle.

Diagnosis And Evaluation Of Your Tinnitus Is the First Step Toward Finding Relief

Evaluating your condition and ruling out hearing loss as a possible cause are included in the first step toward finding relief for tinnitus. From the information we gather, we can employ the right technology and techniques to help manage your condition and its impact on your quality of life.

If you, or a loved one, is experiencing a ringing in your ears, complete and submit the adjacent form to schedule a tinnitus evaluation today.

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