1 in 10 Americans Has Had Ringing in the Ears

1 in 10 Americans Has Had Ringing in the Ears

Study also found association between prolonged exposure to loud noises and tinnitus

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, July 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- One in 10 Americans has experienced ringing in the ears, a condition called tinnitus, and that is likely the result of prolonged exposure to loud noises, new research suggests.

Of those who were struck by tinnitus, only 36 percent said they had it constantly, however.

Tinnitus is characterized by hearing sounds when there are none. The sounds can be perceived as ringing, buzzing, crickets or hissing. For those who struggle with it on a daily basis, the noise is so bothersome that it interferes with thinking, emotions, hearing, sleep and concentration, the researchers said.

In the study, "durations of occupational and leisure-time noise exposures correlated with rates of tinnitus and, accordingly, there are likely correctable risk factors that can be addressed in the workplace and at home," said lead researcher Dr. Harrison Lin. He is an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of California, Irvine.

But guidelines for treating tinnitus are rarely followed, and "consequently there is considerable room for improvement in the care provided by health care professionals for patients with chronic, bothersome tinnitus," Lin added.

"Noise exposures at work and at home seem to correlate with the prevalence of chronic tinnitus, and accordingly these noise exposures should be addressed and minimized," he said. But the study did not prove that such exposure caused the condition.

Doctors can also get better at evaluating and treating patients with chronic tinnitus by "recommending audiological evaluations, sound and hearing aid therapies, and psychological interventions," Lin said.

For the study, Lin and his colleagues evaluated data on nearly 76,000 adults who took part in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey.

Using that sample to estimate the prevalence of tinnitus in the entire U.S. population, the researchers estimated that nearly 10 percent of adults suffer from tinnitus.

Among those with tinnitus, 27 percent had symptoms for more than 15 years, and 36 percent had nearly constant symptoms, the researchers found. Fifteen percent had symptoms at least once a day, while over 14 percent had symptoms at least once a week. The rest had symptoms less than weekly.

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