The Noise in Your Ears You're Experiencing Is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a neurologic condition that is often percived as a ringing, buzzing or humming in the ears and/or head. The most common cause of tinnitus is aging.
Nearly 90% of people with hearing loss have tinnitus and vice versa.
Over 70 million Americans, and more than 1.5 billion people worldwide experience tinnitus
Tinnitus affects people of all ages, though it is more common in older adults.
Tinnitus may increase your risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Common Tinnitus Questions
Is Tinnitus, aka the ringing in your ears or head, Normal?
No. Tinnitus is a neurological condition that is often associated with an early sign of central nervous system disease (JAMA, 1984). While some people say they barely notice the noises in their head, many notice a profound impact on their daily life and report tinnitus as impacting their social, emotional, hearing, physical and cognitive health.
Can Tinnitus Be Treated?
Yes. When treated properly by a medical professional, treatment can be effective in ~90% of all patients. The American Academy of Otolaryngology guidelines for treating tinnitus recommends the use of prescription hearing aid technology to reduce tinnitus – including in patients with no complaints of hearing loss.
Dr. Darrow Explains Tinnitus
Meet Dr. Darrow
Dr. Darrow is the author of five best-selling books on hearing loss and tinnitus, including:
- Stop Living in Isolation
- Preventing Decline: Advances in the Medical Treatment of Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
- Silenced: The Medical Treatment of Tinnitus
- Quiet: Living with Less noise
- Healthy Food Healthy Brain
His practices have been recognized by Inc. 500 | 5000 and he was named among the Top-50 Health Care Companies in America. With a Ph.D. from a joint Harvard Medical and MIT program, he has contributed to groundbreaking research in auditory prostheses at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. His work has been cited over 950 times, and he continues to advocate for affordable treatment options nationwide, including low-cost subscription plans for hearing loss and tinnitus care.
Dr. Darrow’s practices collaborate with the Disney Institute and Ritz Carlton to provide exceptional patient care. He emphasizes a people-first culture, where his team’s dedication often means recommending more affordable treatment options when necessary. With over 1,296 audiologists across eight countries following his approach, Dr. Darrow is a leading advocate for improving hearing health care and reducing the risk of dementia. His clinics have served more than 27,000 patients, while his national speaking tour has educated over 162,000 individuals on hearing health.
The Theory of Tinnitus
When the brain is not adequately stimulated by the ears (even in the very earliest stages of hearing loss), the brain will increase neural activity to make up for the missing input – and the result is that you will hear a sound (that you shouldn’t be hearing!). The more technical way to describe this is that tinnitus is most often the result of a ‘central gain’ in neural activity that occurs when there is a loss of proper neural stimulation from the ear (after there is damage to the cells inside the ear and in the brain).
Did You Know?
A recent analysis of peer-reviewed research indicated:
- Tinnitus is strongly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairments, including dementia.
- The individuals at highest risk were adults 60 years and older.