Ringing In Young Ears

By Drs. David Niesel and Norbert Herzog Have you ever heard a high pitched buzzing or ringing in your ears but nothing around you is the cause? Then you have experienced something called tinnitus. The incidence of tinnitus peaks between 60 and 69 but it can happen at any age. A recent study of 170 students aged 11 - 17 revealed an astoundingly high level of tinnitus at 55%. This is a sign that these adolescents are at serious risk for developing hearing loss as young adults. Some 50 million US adults have reported having tinnitus. Sixteen million had it frequently while 2 to 3 million have tinnitus severe enough to be debilitating. Tinnitus increases with age and is associated with loud noise exposure including the use of firearms, leisure time and occupational exposure to loud noises, smoking and high blood pressure. Tinnitus is often associated with other health issues including emotional difficulties, lifestyle detriment, increased risks for depression, anxiety, insomnia and decreased overall health. The adolescents in a recent study were tested using a psychoacoustic hearing examination along with loudness discomfort and intensity of their tinnitus. Nearly 30% of those tested experienced tinnitus while being tested. Those with tinnitus were more sensitive to loud sounds. Among the 55% of the adolescents who self-reported having experienced tinnitus in the previous year, half experienced it after listening to loud music, 20% heard it at bedtime and 22% perceived it any ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news