Monmouth County's Ask the Doctor Spring Issue March/April 2018

General Dentistry • Implants Extractions Root Canals • Cosmetic Dentistry New

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QUESTION: Tinnitus. What is it and how do you pronounce it? Tinnitus, simply put, is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears which is not coming from an external source. Tinnitus can vary from person to person. It can be a hiss, click, single steady tone or a sound which may vary in frequency and volume-sometimes differently from day to day. It is pronounced (tin-ih-tus,) not as an “ITIS” such as laryngitis. What are some of the common causes? The causes of tinnitus are multiple. The most common cause is hearing loss. This is due to the fact that the organ of hearing is not providing the brain with the appropriate amount of information at a given frequency, so it begins to create its own information. This is similar to “phantom limb pain”, wherein an amputee may experience pain in an extremity that is no longer present. Another cause could be temporomandibular joint abnormality, which is an irritation of the nerves in the head, neck or jaw that cross over into the acoustic nerve. It could also be as simple

as too much ear wax. What can be done?

For the person who suffers from tinnitus, ‘background noise’ is your friend. This means that if you can provide the brain with a sound a bit louder than the tinnitus, the brain will be distracted. Playing music, using white noise generators, a fan in your bedroom etc. are some ways to alleviate the distress brought about by tinnitus, especially at night when it is very quiet. If you have hearing loss, wearing hearing devices can not only help you hear more clearly, but can oftentimes also reduce the perception of tinnitus. Some hearing devices have built-in noise generators for even more relief.

Schedule your appointment today to discuss your concerns about, and possible remedies for, your tinnitus.

7 Schalks Crossing Road, Plainsboro, NJ Phone: 609-897-0203 www.DrScottKay.com

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