Hearing loss isn’t the only thing that can make you perceive the dialogue on TV as too quiet. People who suffer from tinnitus, which is usually described as ringing in the ears, oftencan’t hear the TV.
Millions of Americans suffer from tinnitus. For some it is experienced as a periodic ringing in the ears. Others may experience a constant level of buzzing or ringing. It’s different for everyone. But if you have tinnitus, it doesn’t matter whether you would describe it as roaring or ringing or whether it is hard to ignore or more of a soft background hum – it can be annoying and can interfere with your enjoyment of simple daily pleasures like relaxing with friends and family to watch a little TV.
What Causes Tinnitus?
As the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) explains, “Tinnitus (pronounced tin-NY-tus or TIN-u-tus) is not a disease. It is a symptom that something is wrong in the auditory system, which includes the ear, the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, and the parts of the brain that process sound.”
Don’t worry. Normally, tinnitus is not associated with serious health issues. “Although if it’s loud or doesn’t go away, it can cause fatigue, depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and concentration,” the NIDCD says. “For some, tinnitus can be a source of real mental and emotional anguish.”
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus may develop as a result of a wide array of factors and conditions, but as the experts at WebMD say, “Prolonged exposure to loud sounds is the most common cause of tinnitus. Up to 90% of people with tinnitus have some level of noise-induced hearing loss. The noise causes permanent damage to the sound-sensitive cells of the cochlea, a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear. Carpenters, pilots, rock musicians, street-repair workers, and landscapers are among those whose jobs put them at risk, as are people who work with chain saws, guns, or other loud devices or who repeatedly listen to loud music. A single exposure to a sudden extremely loud noise can also cause tinnitus.”
Other causes may include:
- An accumulation of earwax
- Ear or sinus infections
- Certain medications
- Certain cardiovascular diseases
- Ménière’s disease
- Thyroid abnormalities
If tinnitus is interfering with your ability to enjoy your favorite television shows or if a member of your family could benefit from a TV listening device, we hope you will consider the unique benefits of Chair Speaker for TV. For more information on our wireless speakers for TV, call us at 1-888-440-5273 or email us at kareteam@kareaudio.com.