Hundreds of Brookings residents are hearing noises in their heads, and, no, they’re not going crazy.

Tinnitus – a ringing or other noise in the ear that’s not supposed to be there – is a condition that affects tens of millions of Americans, including one local newspaper editor who suffers from the malady.

It’s becoming more common as Baby Boomers age – hearing loss is a companion – and as more and more people take anti-inflammatory drugs that can aggravate the condition.

Effects on sufferers can range from mild to severe and may be intermittent or continuous. Other noises that can occur in one or both ears include buzzing, whistling, roaring, chirping, screeching, hissing or even musical sounds.

Jim Schutlz, a licensed hearing aid specialist with Great Plains Ear & Hearing in Brookings, said that while the causes of tinnitus are not fully understood, one suspect is injury to the inner ear caused by a sudden loud noise or explosion.

Another suspected cause is prolonged exposure to loud noises. Longtime farmers or construction workers are frequent sufferers.

Dr. Robert Rietz, an ear, nose and throat specialist with the Avera Brookings Medical Clinic, said that as people age, reports of tinnitus increase. He added that the condition affects about 2 percent of 20-year-olds, 5 percent of people at age 40, 25 percent of 60-year-olds and half of people in their 80s.

But Mike Bartley, owner of Brookings Hearing Associates, says he treats people of all ages for hearing loss because younger generations today are less tolerant of or tend to not be in denial of problems. Younger people also understand technology more than older generations and want to use it to deal with hearing problems.

Bartley said that customers from all age groups have reported tinnitus, and hearing loss may worsen or make the problem more noticeable because there’s nothing else for sufferers to listen to.

While the condition is still reported more by older individuals, technology could be altering that trend as well.

Many physicians say that people who are plugged into their iPods all day need to turn the music down. Loud televisions or car radios can even do some damage.

Rietz said that the ringing you have in your ears for a few hours or even up to a few days after a loud concert is a temporary form of tinnitus.

Get used to ear plugs

And people who work in loud environments, like manufacturing plants, or have noisy hobbies, like carpentry, should prevent inner ear damage by getting used to wearing ear plugs.

Some experts believe that tinnitus may also arise from damage to the nerve between the ear and brain, much more rarely from injury to the brainstem, and extremely rarely, to the brain itself. Other suspected causes include middle ear infection or fluid, Meniere's disease, microvascular compression syndrome, and tumors of the eighth nerve.

Many drugs are even thought by some to trigger or increase tinnitus. They include NSAIDS (motrin, naproxen, etc.), aspirin and other salicylates, Lasix and other “loop” diuretics, “mycin” antibiotics, quinine and related drugs, chemotherapy and more.

And the list of potential causes goes on and on.

Almost everyone gets it

Schultz explained that almost everyone has experienced tinnitus at one time or another, but its duration and severity varies.

People who have been diagnosed with the more severe or continuous tinnitus are often given recommendations for at least partial, temporary relief.

Sufferers should continue to avoid exposure to loud noises and sound.

And besides avoiding drugs that may trigger or worsen the condition, people are advised to practice healthy habits that may help prevent or alleviate other health problems.

Blood pressure could be factor

Physicians encourage controlling blood pressure, decreasing salt intake, avoiding stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, and getting plenty of exercise and rest.

Some sufferers turn to noise “maskers,” which emit their own soft sounds to block out noises in a person’s head. That treatment is based on the idea that tinnitus is usually worst when surroundings are very quiet.

Reitz says he often tells local patients who cannot sleep at night to keep their radio dials in between stations to use static as background noise.

Bartley noted that people who have hearing loss but still suffer from tinnitus often find that using a hearing aid that allows them to hear the world around them again also masks the ringing.

But Reitz added that ringing bothers some people so much that they turn to anti-anxiety mediations to calm their nerves.

People who want advice or help with tinnitus should contact a physician.



Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.