Issue 25.11
This symptom can be a result of Tinnitus (pronounced tin-NY-tus), commonly described as a ringing in the ears, but it also can sound like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing. It may be soft or loud, high or low pitched, and in either one or both ears.
Tinnitus is not a disease. It typically is a symptom that something is wrong in the auditory system. Something as simple as a piece of earwax blocking the ear canal can be the cause, as well as other possible health conditions, such as: noise induced hearing loss, ear and sinus infections, diseases of the heart or blood vessels, Meniere’s disease, brain tumors, hormonal changes in women and/or thyroid abnormalities.
Tinnitus is sometimes the first sign of hearing loss. It can be a side effect of medications or the result of working in noisy environments (construction sites, road crews, music halls, athletic events, etc.) Tinnitus does not have a cure yet, but professional treatment and management can reduce its overall frequency, intensity and duration, which helps the patient cope with their condition. Hearing aids have been proven to be an effective tool for significantly reducing Tinnitus by improving the patients hearing. Some other effective tools include, counseling, sound generators, acoustic neural stimulation and cochlear implants.
Dr. Richard Luekenga welcomes a new doctor of audiology, Nicole Choules, Au.D, CCC-A to
Dixie Hearing and Balance Center. Dr. Choules brings additional expertise to the clinic, having received her Doctor of Audiology from Utah State University with an emphasis in Pediatrics and Auditory Oral Education. Dr. Choules is an expert at helping patients overcome hearing and communication barriers.
While specializing in pediatrics, Dr. Choules is very well-versed in helping patients that feel off-balance, dizzy, light-headed or unsteady and can provide the proper management needed for patients who experience tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears). She is also an expert in fitting hearing aids, the latest hearing aid technology, and has a vast knowledge for other listening and communicative disorders regarding the ear. She has clinical experience from Ogden Clinic and Rocky Mountain Hearing and Balance Center and Sound Beginnings at Utah State University.
If you are experiencing signs of Tinnitus, call Doctors Richard Luekenga, Au.D., Ryan Whitaker, Au.D. and Nicole Choules, Au. D. at Dixie Hearing and Balance Center at (435) 688-8991 located at 630 S.400 E. Ste. 103 in St. George. Our doctors of audiology will help you understand what is happening and your options for treating your specific symptoms.