The prevalence of tinnitus grows as people get older, probably due to both age-related hearing loss and accumulative noise-induced hearing loss. As such, seniors are particularly prone to developing tinnitus as they age. Research suggests that roughly 30% of seniors experience tinnitus symptoms.
Read more to learn what is tinnitus and what you can do to seek treatment.
Tinnitus is defined as “the perception of sound in the absence of external sound.” This basically means that sounds — ringing in ears, whistling or buzzing — can only be heard by the person affected.
Tinnitus is not a disease, but rather a symptom of some other underlying health condition. According to ATA, potential causes of tinnitus could include:
While anyone can develop tinnitus, below are some of the groups that are at risk of developing it.
While some people can ignore their tinnitus most of the time, leaving it untreated can put a strain on your well-being. It can lead to stress, concentration problems, sleeplessness, social isolation and depression.
The best solution is to seek out a hearing care professional. Through a series of tests, he or she can help provide the next steps to treat your tinnitus.
They can provide more information about hearing health, have your hearing checked and go over your options.