Causes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15% of the general public — over 50 million Americans — experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million have extreme and debilitating cases. The cause of tinnitus is often unknown, but long-term noise exposure is often a suspected cause. I believe my tinnitus was the result of decades of loud headphone use listening to the radio and MP3 players. Tinnitus is often reported by members of the military who were exposed to loud gunfire, and musicians who are exposed to loud music on a frequent basis.

According to my audiology tests I have moderate high-frequency hearing loss (above 4,000 Hz). That frequency range of the loss is the same as where I am hearing my tinnitus tones (roughly 7800 Hz, which is exactly where my hearing is the worst). Some experts propose the tinnitus is the result of the brain "making up" for not hearing those frequencies, thus creating sounds in that range. There are some who claim hearing aids tuned to the loss frequency will assist the brain in adjusting to the loss. I haven't tried hearing aids as the cost of audiologist-supplied aids seems excessive (up to $3000 per ear). However, in the U.S. the FDA has approved over-the-counter direct-to-consumer hearing aid sales and Bose has started offering a less-expensive device for around $850 a pair. These do not come with any professional fitting or tuning, however.