ATA's Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions


1) Is there a cure for tinnitus?

There is no cure for tinnitus but you can help us reach the ultimate goal of silencincing ringing in the ears. The American Tinnitus Association exists to cure tinnitus through the development of resources that advance tinnitus research. However, in some cases, tinnitus can be managed by treating the underlying cause or by altering reactions to it. It is important to note that treatment outcomes vary depending on the specific cause of tinnitus, how long a patient has had tinnitus and other competing health factors. This is precisely why our mission is to cure tinnitus – and with the generous contributions from our members and other supporters – we can all make that dream a reality, one donation at a time.


Should you wish to explore these tinnitus management options, and seek out a tinnitus health professional, please use this list of questions as a guide to determine which health professional and which management strategy may be most appropriate for you. 
 
Another way ATA can help you is by giving you access to a list of tinnitus-specific health professionals in your region. You can access this listing immediately by becoming an ATA member today!  

2) What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the medical term for the perception of sound in one or both ears or in the head when no external sound is present. It is often referred to as "ringing in the ears," although some people hear hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping or clicking. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant-with single or multiple tones-and its perceived volume can range from subtle to shattering. To read more about tinnitus and what it is exactly, please read this article.

That article was from our tri-annual magazine, Tinnitus Today, published in April, August and December. The magazine is one of the many benefits of becoming an ATA member. If you found that information useful, consider joining our fight to cure tinnitus.

3) What is ATA doing for me?

ATA's mission is focused on finding a cure for tinnitus - and those efforts are all pursued with you, the tinnitus sufferer, in the forefront of our thinking. We know that the tinnitus community wants exactly what we want at ATA - the restoration of silence to all the millions who suffer worldwide. By fundraising to support ATA’s research and advocacy programs we will find that cure. The research we fund has been instrumental in many of the breakthroughs in scientific research on tinnitus.

We also want to share with you how we are moving mountains in Washington, D.C. on behalf of you, the tinnitus sufferer. What's more exciting is that our mission continues to gain momentum in the corridors of power in Washington, D.C. Read more about how our work is influencing legislation and increasing federal funding for tinnitus research - all on behalf of our members and supporters. These efforts will not only help to expedite that ultimate cure but will also keep tinnitus in the forefront of policymakers' decisions when thinking about biomedical research budgets. By joining our Action Alliance or supporting ATA's continued efforts through a donation, you are helping us all get to that collective goal of silence.

4) How close are we to finding a cure for tinnitus?

It’s anyone’s guess when that "aha moment" will happen. The growing quality of the research proposals received and reviewed by ATA’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) continues to both increase and impress. One important note is that in contrast to older applications, many of the grant applications now involve human research. You can read more about the grants ATA has supported in our Research section.

Additionally, ATA has put a full-court press on the U.S. government to increase their funding for research. Funding for tinnitus research proposals has already been awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense under their Peer Review Medical Research Program and we are continually making the case with our advocacy efforts that this funding must continue.

 
5) How do I get involved in tinnitus research and what kind of research is being done?
 
There is more than one way to be involved in tinnitus research. One way you can become involved is by supporting ATA’s research grant program. Another way is to join our Action Alliance and speak out to your senators and represenatives in support of increased funding for tinnitus research.
 
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, ATA.org/clinical-trials a great place to search for research studies that are recruiting human subjects. ATA also posts clinical trial opportunities on Facebook social network page. You can also call your local university hospitals to find out in case the opportunity is not posted online. Please keep in mind, because of the need for the best results, there is often strict inclusion criteria for clinical trials – so you may or may not be eligible for every tinnitus study just because you have tinnitus.

ATA’s Roadmap to a Cure, crafted by SAC, maps out what we need to find and how to get there. Research funded by the American Tinnitus Association focuses on two main areas: mechanisms and management. "Tinnitus mechanisms" research explores what the condition is about, where it occurs, how it occurs – the who, what, where, when and why questions. "Tinnitus management" research looks into treatments available, how well those treatments work, and the development of novel treatments such as brain stimulation devices. Read more about tinnitus research in the ATA Research section.

6) Can anything be done to treat and manage my tinnitus now while we all wait and hope for a cure?

The simple answer is yes, there are tinnitus management strategies that are available to tinnitus sufferers. However it is important to note that these options do not work for everyone and do not work to the same degree for each individual patient. This is why we stress the importance of discussing your particular tinnitus situation with a qualified health professional. You can access our listing of health professionals in your area immediately by becoming an ATA member.

One of the most effective forms of therapy for tinnitus patients is what's called sound therapy. Here is an article about why sound therapy works. Please also visit the ATA Store to see the variety of sound therapy products we have available. ATA members receive discounts on all ATA Store products.

 
7) What is ATA doing to increase public awareness of tinnitus and how can I help?
 
Every day, ATA’s staff works to increase awareness of tinnitus and the need for increased funding for tinnitus research. We have recently set up social media sites including pages on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter. If you have an account with any of these social media outlets you can easily become a friend or fan of ATA and help spread the word in your own social networks by re-posting our news and/or encouraging your social network to support ATA’s efforts to find a cure for tinnitus.
 
Additionally you can join our Action Alliance, our grassroots advocacy program to keep up-to-date on opportunities to raise your voice with the other thousands of members who want to support ATA’s efforts in Washington. You can also participate in our annual Tinnitus Awareness Week which takes tinnitus to the national stage and provides an opportunity for us all to raise awareness in one single week, increasing chances of visibility. Typically Tinnitus Awareness Week takes place during the month of May. Stay tuned to www.ata.org for more information on this year’s Tinnitus Awareness Week.
 
8) Does tinnitus cause hearing loss?
 
No – tinnitus is a symptom and not a disease. Many people commonly confuse tinnitus as being the cause or underlying condition. Hearing loss is either conductive (problem with outer or middle ear) or sensorineural (problem with inner ear) and classified by different categories: mild, moderate, severe and profound. Hearing loss is a complex process and due to the personal and unique nature of each tinnitus condition, proper evaluation and specialized treatment is necessary.

However, in many cases tinnitus accompanies hearing loss. Because hearing loss can be caused by noise damage to the ear, an individual can get both hearing loss and tinnitus from noise damage. However the two do not always occur together. There are many who have no measurable hearing loss but have tinnitus. Read this article from Tinnitus Today that discusses the ongoing research to regenerate hair cells and what implications there are for both tinnitus and hearing loss.

9) How many people have tinnitus?

50 million Americans experience tinnitus to some degree.1 Of these, about 16 million have severe enough tinnitus to seek medical attention and about two million patients are so seriously debilitated that they cannot function on a "normal," day-to-day basis.

Noise is the leading cause of tinnitus  and our world has gotten progressively noisier. Noise is in abundance not only in recreational situations like concerts and sporting events, but many face extreme noise on-the-job. Firefighters are one of the many emergency service personnel at risk for developing tinnitus. You can read about one man's story and struggle with tinnitus that appeared in our magazine, Tinnitus Today.

You can read more about at-risk populations and how to protect yourself from further noise damage, by reading about how loud is too loud.

10) What causes tinnitus?

We have made tremendous advances through research, based on what is known about the auditory (hearing) system - sound is detected by the ear and processed by the brain. On the other hand, the exact physiological cause or causes of tinnitus are not known. There are, however, several likely sources, all of which are known to trigger or worsen tinnitus.

  • Noise exposure - Exposure to loud noises can damage and even destroy hair cells, called cilia, in the inner ear. Once damaged, these hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced.
  • Head and neck trauma - Physical trauma to the head and neck can induce tinnitus. Other symptoms include headaches, vertigo, and memory loss.
  • Certain disorders, such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism, Meniere's disease, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome, can have tinnitus as a symptom. When tinnitus is a symptom of another disorder, treating the disorder can help alleviate the tinnitus.
  • Certain types of tumors
  • Wax build-up
  • Jaw misalignment
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Ototoxicity - Some medications are ototoxic, that is, the medications are toxic to the ear. Other medications will produce tinnitus as a side effect without damaging the inner ear. Effects, which can depend on the dosage of the medication, can be temporary or permanent. Before taking any medication, make sure that your prescribing physician is aware of your tinnitus, and discuss alternative medications that may be available. There are some websites that provide information on drug interactions. Two popular resources for this are Drugwatch.com and the Physicians Desktop Reference websites.
  • Pulsatile tinnitus - Rare type of tinnitus that sounds like a rhythmic pulsing in the ear, typically in time with one's heartbeat. This kind of tinnitus can be caused by abnormal blood flow in arteries or veins close to the inner ear, brain tumors or irregularities in brain structure.

 

Do you have questions, would like to become a member or request additional information?

Please email us and we will be happy to assist you! Fill out this convenient online form and ATA will send you an information packet of our materials.

 

1. Data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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