Dr. Margaret Hutchison is professionally Certified in Tinnitus Management by the American Academy of Audiology
Member American Tinnitus Association
International Specialist Training in Tinnitus, at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
Board Certified in Audiology
50 million people in the U.S. experience some form of tinnitus, according to the American Tinnitus Association.
Tinnitus is a perceived sound that is not being made externally. Margaret Hutchison, PhD audiologist, at Austin Hearing Services says some people hear a ringing noise, but others hear buzzing, hissing, roaring, whistling or clicking. Dr Hutchison says there are some things known to trigger or worsen tinnitus.
Some of these are:
Tinnitus does not cause hearing loss – rather, it can be a symptom.
If you think you have tinnitus, consider seeing a Dr Hutchison to have the condition evaluated, diagnosed and treated.
If tinnitus is bilateral (in both ears) and has a sudden onset, you should still see a doctor just to rule out anything serious.
Unilateral tinnitus (on one side) is more of a red flag, but I would still recommend anyone who develops tinnitus, whether it is unilateral or bilateral, to see a doctor about it.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but the condition can be managed. The key is teaching your brain to ignore the sound and possibly treating with hearing aids
“What people will recommend a lot of times is to mask out the tinnitus to where you can’t hear it anymore. You don’t necessarily want to drown it out completely. If you drown it out completely, your brain cannot habituate to it. Usually we recommend that you turn on the noise to where you just barely hear the tinnitus.”
Here are some things that can help lesson your awareness of tinnitus:
Tips for managing tinnitus
Don't forget, an evaluation will always help!