Asheboro Magazine 51 | Page 26

Ask the Expert Your Hearing Brooke Miller, Au.D. - A native of the Piedmont Triad, Dr. Miller received a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a doctor of audiology from James Madison University. She has worked at the University of Virginia and the Martinsburg (WV) Veterans Administration, and has volunteered with the Special Olympics. Dr. Miller’s specialties include diagnostic hearing, balance and vestibular testing. She has a personal interest in other musicians with hearing loss and hearing protection, as well as long-term management of hearing loss in both the adult and special needs populations. The Hearing Clinic 328-B N. Fayetteville St. Asheboro Call 336-629-6574 or visit www.TheHearingClinic.com 26 Q: I am experiencing a constant ringing in my ears! What is causing this to happen? How can I get it to stop? A: While most of us have experienced a temporary “ringing in the ears” following a loud musical performance, Independence Day fireworks, or even illness, the condition usually goes away after a few hours, or at the most, a few days. However, for about two million Americans, this condition, known as tinnitus, persists on a daily or even hourly basis, affecting pleasurable activities, quality of sleep, work and social interaction. It may even signal a medical problem of the ear and should always be evaluated. Asheboro Magazine, Issue 51 Sufferers of tinnitus often hear a ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, roaring or beeping, although there is no external or environmental sound creating it. Tinnitus is a condition that can be attributed to a range of causes including ear infections, foreign objects, wax in the ear or injury from loud noises. It can also result as a side effect of some medications or as a result of hearing loss due to aging. At The Hearing Clinic we understand that tinnitus is a complex problem, and