See how Lighthouse is responding to Covid-19 >
  • Living at Lighthouse
    • The Community
    • Making Friends
    • Quality of Care
    • What to Expect
    • Where to Start
  • Wellness & Care
    • Types of Care
    • Memory Care
    • Wellness Resource Center
      • Medication Management
      • Healthcare Coordination
      • Physical Therapy
      • Transportation
  • Services & Amenities
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Spa & Salon
    • Apartment Care
    • Sample Events & Activities – Hopkins Creek
  • Family Resources
    • Talking to your loved one
    • Financial Information
    • Research
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Communities
    • Ellicott City
    • Hopkins Creek
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Management Team: Hopkins Creek
    • Management Team: Ellicott City
  • News
  • Contact
  • Request Info
  • Take Tour
  • Directions
  • Jobs
  • Resident/Family Login
  • Request Info
  • Take Tour
  • Directions
  • Jobs
  • Resident/Family Login

Lighthouse Senior Living

Senior Living in Baltimore Maryland

  • Living at Lighthouse
    • The Community
    • Making Friends
    • Quality of Care
    • What to Expect
    • Where to Start
  • Wellness & Care
    • Types of Care
    • Memory Care
    • Wellness Resource Center
      • Medication Management
      • Healthcare Coordination
      • Physical Therapy
      • Transportation
  • Services & Amenities
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Spa & Salon
    • Apartment Care
    • Sample Events & Activities – Hopkins Creek
  • Family Resources
    • Talking to your loved one
    • Financial Information
    • Research
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Communities
    • Ellicott City
    • Hopkins Creek
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Management Team: Hopkins Creek
    • Management Team: Ellicott City
  • News
  • Contact



Seniors with Tinnitus

January 20, 2016 by LSL Staff

tinnitus-300x200-300x200If you hear ringing in your ears when no external sounds are present, you may be suffering from tinnitus – and you’re not alone. As you get older, the likelihood of developing tinnitus increases significantly. In fact, research suggests that roughly 30 percent of seniors experience tinnitus symptoms.

Though tinnitus might sound like nothing more than a nuisance, the condition can significantly diminish your quality of life.

“Tinnitus takes its toll on seniors in many ways,” says Eula Adams, CEO of Neuromonics, Inc., a company that manufactures and distributes clinically proven, FDA-cleared medical devices to treat tinnitus. “The ringing noise can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and concentration, along with sheer annoyance.”

Causes of Tinnitus

According to the American Tinnitus Association (ATA), the primary catalyst of tinnitus is hearing loss, and age-related hearing loss tends to increase after age 60. Additional risk factors for tinnitus include the following:

  • Military service. Tinnitus is the leading service-related disability among U.S. veterans. In fact, ATA reports that 9.7 percent of all veterans received disability compensation for tinnitus in 2012.
  • Loud music. If you spent your younger years grooving to bands like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones — either in concert or on your headphones – all of that sweet (but loud) music may contribute to noise-induced hearing loss.
  • Physical injuries and conditions. Physical trauma to the head and neck can induce tinnitus, says Adams. Certain types of tumors, jaw misalignment, and cardiovascular disease can be accompanied by tinnitus symptoms, as can disorders such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism, Ménière’s disease, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome.
  • Workplace experience. Seniors who have worked in loud environments — such as those found in the agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, and transportation industries — have an increased risk of developing tinnitus.
  • Outdoor activities. Seniors who have participated in hunting, motor sports, or other activities with repeated exposure to loud engines are at increased risk for tinnitus symptoms.
  • Medications. Some medications can be harmful or damaging to the ear, or produce tinnitus as a side effect without damaging the inner ear, says Adams.
  • History of depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. While these behavioral health issues do not cause tinnitus, they can exacerbate symptoms.

Treatment for Tinnitus

Currently, there is no cure for tinnitus, but the condition can be managed by treating its underlying causes or by altering patients’ reactions to it.

“Audiologists who specialize in tinnitus can most effectively diagnose and treat the condition,” says Adams. “Once they – and/or an otolaryngologist or other physician – have ruled out medical causes, these specialists can evaluate the best treatment for the individual.”

Tinnitus treatments include masking devices, which produce a continual low-level noise to cover up the tinnitus sounds, as well as hearing aids, which can be helpful for seniors who are also struggling with hearing loss.

One of the most promising developments in the treatment of tinnitus is sound therapy, says Adams. A wearable device delivers individually programmed tonal music that engages the auditory pathways to promote neural changes. Over time, she says, these changes help the brain filter out the tinnitus perception, which reduces tinnitus disturbance and provides long-term relief from tinnitus symptoms.

The results are promising. According to Adams, Neuromonics devices have produced a clinically significant reduction in tinnitus disturbance (50 percent or more) for more than 90 percent of suitable patients in a formal clinical trial setting. One study at the Veterans Administration hospital in Hollywood, Florida, revealed that 96 percent of patients reported a reduction in their tinnitus distress by 40 percent or more.

“With advances in research and development in the past decade, more effective treatments are available,” says Adams.

Filed Under: News of Note

News of Note

  • Common Myths & Misconceptions about Assisted Living
  • Fall Prevention Exercises for Older Adults
  • Spousal Caregiver Burnout: What It is & How to Cope
  • Strange Side Effects: Is It Your Medication Or An Underlying Condition?
  • 8+ Proven Interventions for Dementia Patients

CATEGORY

  • Ellicott City
  • Hopkins Creek
  • News of Note
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Request Info
  • Resident/Family Login

Baltimore County

Hopkins Creek
1813 Old Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21221
410.918.0400

Howard County

Ellicott City
3100 North Ridge Road
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
410.465.2288
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
©2016 Lighthouse Senior Living. All Rights Reserved. Professionally and locally managed by WPM Real Estate Management.

Copyright © 2023 · Lighthouse Senior Living on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in