INDUSTRY INSIGHT
YOUR HEARING
SPONSORED CONTENT
WHY
ARE
MY
EARS
RINGING?
Why your ears may be ringing — and what to do about it
J
ust as a ringing bell can sound a warning, ringing in your ears
can be a signal to pay attention to your body!
Ringing in your ears, or tinnitus, starts in your inner ear. Most
often, it is caused by damage to or the loss of sensory hair cells
in the cochlea, or the inner ear. This may be an indication of hearing
loss. Tinnitus can present in many different ways, including sounds
related to the ocean, ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing or whooshing.
The sound can be in one or both ears, constant or occasional, loud or
soft. Often, it is more noticeable at night when you’re not distracted
by work or family. It is often associated with hearing loss.
And it’s more common than you might expect. Over the past
year, about 10 percent of the U.S. adult population has experienced
tinnitus lasting at least five minutes, according to the National
Institute on Deafness and Hearing Disorders.
What Causes the Ringing?
The ringing actually comes from the part of your inner ear that
looks like a snail shell, called the cochlea. Changes in the cochlea’s
nerve activity could lead to tinnitus.
• Exposure to loud sounds — such as jackhammers, chainsaws
and loud music
• A head injury or concussion
InFoxChapel
Sound in
Bar_Eartique
• Wax build-up
your ears 5/13/19 2:58 PM Page 1
Hearing device technology that’s
raising the bar
• Caffeine
• Many
medications,
including aspirin,
ibuprofen, blood
pressure medicines
and some antibiotics
• Meniere’s disease, a
condition of the inner ear
possibly related to fluids in the inner ear
What Can Help Tinnitus?
✓ First, a complete hearing test can diagnose any hearing loss or
alert you to something medically wrong with your ears.
✓ An audiologist can perform a tinnitus matching test (TMT) to
diagnose tonal tinnitus.
✓ A noise masker can help reduce or eliminate tinnitus.
✓ Amplification or hearing aids can eliminate or reduce tinnitus.
✓ A healthy lifestyle, by reducing or eliminating caffeine, nicotine,
sodium and alcohol, has been reported to help people
with tinnitus
What Should I Do Next?
➢Make an appointment for a hearing test at Eartique. We will
check if it is just wax, or if your tinnitus is treatable or refer you to
a specialist.
➢Try Sound Therapy–we offer state-of-the-art sound therapy in
the treatment of tinnitus, with or without hearing loss.
➢We can provide you with educational tools to better understand
your unique tinnitus.
➢We can help provide drug–free solutions to manage your life
with tinnitus.
This Industry Insight was written by Beth M. Kenny, AuD, who
earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Science
& Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of
Arts in Audiology from the University of Pittsburgh. She
completed her clinical doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still
University in 2005. Beth is certified by the American Academy
of Audiology and has been practicing since 2003.
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Debra L. Greenberger, M.S., CCC-A
Serving the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years
The last stop you’ll make in successful hearing aid use
Call today for a FREE consultation!
Squirrel Hill ~ 2703 Murray Ave. ~ 412.422.8006
Debra L. Greenberger, owner of Eartique, received her
master’s degree in Audiology (Hearing Science) from
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and she is
certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association.
Debra has been diagnosing hearing loss and fitting hearing
aids for over 25 years.
Leslie A. Dunst, MS/CCC-A, is a Clinical Audiologist who has
enjoyed providing diagnostic testing and rehabilitative services
for over 25 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree
in Speech Pathology and Audiology and her Master of Science
in Audiology from West Virginia University. Leslie is also
certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association. Her diverse background spans three states (Ohio,
West Virginia and Pennsylvania) and includes private practice,
ENT offices, and clinical and hospital settings. Leslie is
dedicated to providing quality service to her patients and committed to helping
improve their quality of life by helping them to hear their best. She resides in Peters
Township with her husband and 14-year-old son.
FOX CHAPEL AREA
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