CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — For those living with tinnitus, it almost seems impossible to remember life without all the noise in your ears (or head). At first, this might not seem like a serious problem; in fact, it may remind you of when you went to a concert and came home, and your ears would ring for a couple of days. But now that you’re getting older, tinnitus is most certainly a sign that there’s significant damage to your hearing.

Diagnosing and treating tinnitus is a complex process – so complex that most people are told there’s nothing that can be done about it. But Dr. Keith Darrow and his team of hearing specialists at Intermountain Audiology can help reduce tinnitus in nearly 80% of patients with whom they work.

“The challenge with tinnitus is making the proper diagnosis and then developing the correct, custom treatment plan,” Darrow said. “No two people with tinnitus are alike, and therefore our treatment plans are tailored to meet each patient’s tinnitus and hearing needs.”  

Steve R., a resident of Utah and one of Darrow’s many patients, knows from personal experience the stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and inability to focus on work that comes with tinnitus. Several years back, Steve first noticed his tinnitus only at night or when the house was really quiet. Over time, however, he started to notice it more and more, and eventually, it significantly disrupted his ability to hear others.

He described what finally brought him to Darrow’s clinic: “I was sick of the ringing in my head. I was losing sleep, was not productive at work, and I was becoming less tolerable to be around at home. I was so desperate that I tried the magic pills, but nothing seemed to work.”

Steve, his wife and his two daughters knew something had to change or things would only get worse for all of them. Once they made the decision for Steve to seek treatment at their local Excellence in Audiology-certified clinic, they instantly knew he was in good hands.

Steve and his family met with Darrow’s team for nearly an hour to talk about his experiences, how his tinnitus was impacting him at work and home and how it was impacting everybody around him. They also discussed Steve’s goals for treatment. 

Once Steve completed all of the testing, the diagnosis was clear. Like over 90% of people with tinnitus, he had been suffering from damage to his hearing system. This was the root cause of his ringing.

“Damage to the ears – be it from age, noise or even medications – can compromise the neural connections from ear to brain and cause a significant increase in neural activity in higher brain centers, which the person then perceives as tinnitus,” Darrow said. 

Steve and his family were told that once he started treatment, it could take his brain anywhere from a few weeks to six months to adapt and notice relief from his tinnitus. Some of Darrow’s patients get a little anxious when they hear that timetable for recovery, but he believes it’s important that patients have realistic expectations for treatment.

“Every patient is looking to live a ring-free life as quickly as possible,” he said. “That is our goal with every patient, but the brain can take time to rewire and adapt in order to silence the tinnitus.”

Steve started treatment on day one, and he knew he was on the road to recovery. Since he had been experiencing tinnitus for several years, he knew treatment wouldn’t be an overnight success, so he went about his daily life as a graphic designer, husband, father and avid cook. 

“I knew I signed up for treatment that wasn’t an instant cure and so I expected some days would be better than others, but I wasn’t going to give up!” he said. “I decided that I was going to follow my doctor’s treatment plan to the ‘T.’ I woke up every day and started using my treatment devices, and I kept them in until the end of my day. It certainly helps that I couldn’t see or feel them because of how small the new technology is.”

Patience paid off for Steve. After his first 60 days of treatment, he’s now living a tinnitus-free life – he’s sleeping better, hearing better, performing better at work and is much more pleasant to be around at home.

Darrow emphasized that cases like Steve’s are all too common and too often dismissed by primary care physicians.

“With the right diagnosis and proper treatment program, nearly 8 in 10 people with tinnitus can experience significant relief from the annoying sounds in their head.” 

Given how slowly tinnitus and hearing loss can develop with age, many patients wait longer than they should to seek out treatment. Darrow’s coalition of Excellence in Audiology-certified practices across the country treat adults with mild to severe tinnitus and hearing loss. 

“Our goal is to be a resource for patients, a place where they can learn about the medical treatment of tinnitus and hearing loss,” he said. “Although there are nearly 50 million people living with tinnitus, we treat every patient as an individual.” 

Steve knows he’s in this for the long haul and that he must remain committed to his treatment program to ensure success. He urges others to both seek treatment from their local Excellence in Audiology center and stay committed to their treatment plan.

“I’m 57 years old and I have a lot of life left to live, and I’m not going to live it with ringing in my ears,” he said. “I want to live my best life, stay sharp as I age and enjoy every ring-free moment I can with the loves of my life, my wife and daughters.”

• S P O N S O R E D  C O N T E N T • 

Resources

• Intermountain Audiology | Website.
• Locations:
  • St. George | Address: 61 W. 200 North, Suite 100 | Telephone: 435-255-3780.
  • Cedar City | Address: 1277 N. Northfield Road, Suite A220 | Telephone: 435-255-3780.
  • Richfield | Address: 1090 Cove View Road | Telephone: 435-255-3780.

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