It's called tinnitus. (Some people say it ti-NIGHT-us and some TIN-i-tus-- both are correct.) The clinical definition is when a patient experiences sound where no external sound exists. In layman's terms, it's when you hear a ringing, buzzing, whooshing, screeching or crackling sound, but no one else can hear it.
At some point, especially after being at a loud concert or sports event, nearly all of us will experience temporary tinnitus. For one in five of us, the condition becomes permanent. Twenty percent of those people will seek medical help. Worst of all, another twenty percent of that group will have such severe symptoms that they cannon function in their normal lives.
Tinnitus is often a symptom of hearing loss, but it can also be a symptom of many other diseases, as well as a side-effect of certain medications. It can cause irritability, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, social withdrawal, and anger.
In our next post, we will discuss some of the treatment options for tinnitus.
