SPECIAL FROM Grandparents.com
Imagine a constant high-pitched tone in your ears, or an ocean of white noise that never goes away. For the 16 million Americans who suffer from tinnitus (TIN-a-tus), that literally is the sound of silence.
Doctors don’t really know what causes the condition, which can sound to some people like buzzing, roaring, clicking, or even hissing. It can come and go and vary in volume for no explainable reason. Tinnitus is often accompanied by hypercausis, an extreme sensitivity to loud noises. It often shows up in soldiers, who during their tours of duty, are repeatedly exposed to loud explosions and gunfire, but lots of other people get it too. In fact, 15 to 20 percent of those who have it develop it after age 60, says Aniruddha K. Deshpande, Ph.D., a resarch audiologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, IA.
“No one knows for sure what causes this problem, but there are theories,” says Dr. Deshpande. These include:
Damage to the hair cells of the inner ear caused by excessive noise, medicine or even just aging
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation: A specific way of relaxing, this technique helps to relax your entire body.
Deep Breathing: Inhaling deeply has been shown to increase relaxation.
Habituation therapy: A series of exercises that helps patients gradually reduce their perception of the sound in their ears—much the way you may not notice the hum of the air conditioner or the ticking of a clock if you live with it long enough. (Note: anxiety, depression, and fear can interfere with habituation therapy, which is why all of the above methods should be used in combination, according to Deshpande.)
If you’re looking for more help, The American Tinnitus Association offers resources and a support network for people with tinnitus and their families.
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