Dr. Chang Quoted in a Refinery29 Article About Tinnitus

With the recent release of “A Star is Born” starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, an important subplot of the movie is when the star developed debilitating tinnitus. Dr. Chang was contacted by journalist Corey Stieg regarding the tinnitus as portrayed in the movie, in an article published by Refinery29 on Oct 4, 2018.

Quoted from article:

Often, tinnitus is associated with noise-induced hearing loss, which is why it's common among musicians, explains Christopher Chang, MD, an otolaryngologist in Warrenton, VA. In fact, some studies suggest that between 17-43% of rock musicians have chronic tinnitus.

Sometimes, people with tinnitus are prescribed antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications — like Xanax and Valium — to alleviate some of the emotional effects of the condition, but psychiatric medications are typically not considered the best first approach for treatment, she says. "Such prescription medications are addictive and have gone out of favor; such medications are no longer considered appropriate in the treatment of tinnitus," Dr. Chang says. 

In the case of A Star Is Born, Maine is prescribed pills for his tinnitus. Although it's not clear what exactly the pills are, he abuses the medication and becomes addicted to it.

Read the full article here!