Traces of tinnitus, the ringing of the ears, are affecting more people in cities than in the suburbs.
In the United States, one in ten adults has tinnitus, but in NYC, the average is higher, with one in six people suffering from tinnitus.
Due to the grueling work-life balance the city offers, combined with the constant noise, even at night, individuals experience higher stress levels and sleep less, which can lead to tinnitus, according to Louisiana ENT Specialists.
“Tinnitus, the ringing in your ears, is often believed to be tied to loud music and constant headphone usage. But there are countless triggers that spark tinnitus, stress being one of them,” NYC-based audiologist Dr. Seth Weible told amNY.
Weible has worked in private practice for 10 years as an audiologist.
Growing up with special needs siblings, Weible signed up for the Special Olympics, where he met a deaf individual. He became fascinated with sign language and later began taking courses in hearing science.
“Once I found hearing sciences and communication disorders, I really liked it, so that was it,” he said.
Now Weible is the director of Manhattan Audio South. And he has found that younger people are now more likely to come in to get their hearing checked.
“Younger generations are getting in tune with it because it’s becoming more active in stress,” he said. “They have normal hearing, so it’s just really affecting their ability to concentrate and work.”
Tinnitus is not always linked to hearing loss, so when someone has ringing in the ears, it can affect their ability to concentrate, which in turn can disrupt work performance.
NYC-based audiologist Dr. Seth Weible.Photo courtesy of Dr. Seth Weible
While there are ways to reverse or reduce the symptoms, in many cases, once it starts, it cannot be undone.
Weible has often seen individuals with tinnitus try to limit their sound, but this could make the ears worse, as the ears need to be stimulated.
“Your brain has nowhere else to go but focus on that sound that’s bothering you and then I actually can make it worse,” he said. “So you want to keep yourself stimulated even when you’re going to bed.”
While Weible treats the ringing of the ears, he also has them during the holidays. Every Christmas, his mother makes ham that is very salty and causes his ears to ring for two weeks.
“My ears will ring nonstop for like two weeks and then two weeks later it just stops,” he said.
Around 15% of people are affected by tinnitus, which is why Weible believes that a hearing test by an audiologist should be part of a medical physical every year.
“I think that should be very much mandatory,” he said. “The biggest barrier isn’t even people coming to us. It’s the physicians saying oh you need this.”
Advocates from the Hearing Loss Association of America’s NYC Chapter are fighting to make tinnitus screening mandatory.