Tinnitus affects millions: Why it can be difficult to manage

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aging Untold) — Millions of Americans experience a constant ringing, hissing or humming in their ears, a condition known as tinnitus. For some, the sound never stops. Ken Seibert has worn hearing aids for about 20 years. The devices amplify his hearing and also help muffle unwanted sounds caused by his tinnitus. Goutham Gosu, a doctor of audiology, works with patients like Seibert to manage the condition. “It’s an unwanted sound that they’re perceiving in the ear,” Gosu said. Gosu said tinnitus is difficult to measure because it relies on a patient’s description. “It’s really hard to gauge from a medical standpoint, what the person is feeling, perceiving. We just have to go by how they’re explaining it,” Gosu said. How many people are affected The American Tinnitus Association says more than 50 million American adults experience tinnitus. The condition is chronic for 5 million of those people. Seibert described the sound as similar to air being let out of a tire. He sa