Where Does Tinnitus Come From? Ear or Brain?

It is invariable that when a patient comes to an ENT office complaining of tinnitus or ringing of the ears that only they can hear, that they feel this problem stems from purely an inner ear problem. However, the truth is WAY more complicated in that this phantom ringing actually comes more from the brain rather than the ear and as such, treatment (if any possible) is geared more towards the brain rather than the ear. The analogy I often use to explain this phenomenon is phantom limb pain.…

1/22/2016 1

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Regular Cell Phone Use May Cause Tinnitus

Regularly using a mobile phone for at least four years seems to be associated with doubling the risk of developing chronic tinnitus (persistent ringing/roaring/hissing in the ear) based on a small study published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Analysis of the results showed that the patients who had used a mobile before the onset of tinnitus were 37% more likely to have the condition than those in the comparison group. Those who used their mobiles for an average of 10 mi…

7/20/2010 0

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WP: Anatomy of Tinnitus

I recently came across this interesting webpage published by the Washington Post describing the biological pathways that results in tinnitus or ringing of the ears , complete with pictures. It also describes how we " hear " which is actually not with our ears, but with our brains. Tinnitus is becoming a much more common problem with loud noise exposure whether via military service in the Gulf from all the gunfire and explosions or listening to personal music players (iPod) too l…

5/16/2010 0

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Sudden Hearing Loss Can Be Due to Erectile Dysfunction Medications (Cialis, Viagra, etc)

It's been a few years since the warning has come out from the FDA regarding sudden hearing loss in men who take viagra, cialis, and other erectile dysfunction (ED) medications. In 2007, the FDA authorized more prominent labeling that such drugs may potentially cause sudden hearing loss because of this concern. This concern initially stemmed from a 2007 case report  of bilateral profound unremitting sensorineural hearing loss in a 44-year-old male patient that occurred after ingestion…

4/26/2010 1

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IPhone App for Tinnitus (White Noise)

While scanning for new iPhone apps of interest for ENT uses, I came across one called " White Noise ." In essence, this program produces background white noise to help in noisy environments, but can just as easily be used to help reduce tinnitus . As many tinnitus sufferers are aware, the tinnitus is loudest when the environment is very quiet. White noise helps in this situation reduce a person's awareness of tinnitus. The iPhone app alows one to customize the type of noise (wa…

2/26/2010 3

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