Tinnitus is characterized by annoying ear noises, which can be soft as a whistle or loud enough to be completely debilitating. Tinnitus can also cause sleep disturbance and interfere with concentration. Tinnitus is not a disease in itself, but a symptom that something is wrong in the auditory system. While theories exist, the actual mechanism responsible for tinnitus remains unknown, as does the origin of the ear noises. But tinnitus is not just in the patient’s imagination. It is a physiological or neurological event that has not yet been identified. Tinnitus can occur in a single episode, temporarily for a few days or weeks, or permanently. It can occur in one ear (unilaterally) or both ears (bilaterally). While more common in both ears, the rare unilateral ailment can be more serious.
How to Protect Your Hearing
• Wear hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85dB for a long period of time. There are different types of hearing protection such as foam earplugs, earmuffs and custom hearing protection devices. Contact your local audiologist for custom hearing protection devices.
• Turn down the volume when listening to the radio, the TV, MP3 player, or anything through ear buds and headphones.Visit TurnIttotheLeft.com
• Walk away from the noise.
• And, other than hearing protection, do not put anything in your ear! The above information provided by the American Academy of Audiology.