Approximately 50 million Americans suffer from Tinnitus. It is often a loud ringing or buzzing heard in your ears and is a sign of hearing damage. The sounds can range from mildly disrupting to extremely exasperating.

Who does Tinnitus Affect?

Tinnitus doesn’t single out any one race, religion, age group, or profession. It affects everyone from young children to the elderly, athletes to the military.

• Factory workers

• Military

• Airplane pilots

• Teens

• Athletes

• Elderly

• Construction workers

• Crowds

• Musicians

• Children

• You

Many famous musicians have come forward with how they have suffered from Tinnitus, which has brought light on this condition to a world that hasn’t heard of it before.

• Will. I. Am. (musician from the band Black Eye Peas/Entrepreneur)

• Chris Martin (musician from the band Coldplay)

• Metallica (musicians)

• Eric Clapton (musician)

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is not a sound, because a sound is heard by everyone around you and it is airwaves that push on your eardrum and send an electrical signal to your brain. You will be surprised to find out that Tinnitus is abnormal electrical activity in your brain. No one else can hear it or experience it exactly the same way you do.

How do you get Tinnitus?

Continuous exposure to loud noises—from the sound of an airplane to machinery to music—is the most common way to develop it, but you can also get it from just a few instances of loud noises like an explosion or attending one rock concert.

The inner ear wasn’t designed to withstand nonstop loud noises. It causes permanent damage to the inner ear that can’t be reversed.

How can I prevent Tinnitus and hearing loss?

It is important to do whatever you can to protect the inner ear when it is exposed to loud noises. When you know you will be surrounded by loud noises for long periods of time such as on an airplane or at a concert, you can wear ear plugs to help protect your ears from the damage the noise can cause.

Watch the video below for more information about Tinnitus.

At Sound Hearing Care, our hearing professionals are available to help diagnose tinnitus if you suspect you have it, and we can help you manage your symptoms. Visit us today at one of our four convenient locations of Simpsonville, Greer, Travelers Rest, and Greenville.