For tinnitus sufferers, the illness can be very difficult to deal with and it can negatively affect a person’s quality of life. However, there is a lot of information about tinnitus that can help people to better understand the illness.

Hopefully, one day, there will be a true cure for this illness. However, until then, it is helpful to know key information about it to gain a wider perspective of this health problem. Here are some of the most important facts to know about tinnitus.

1. Tinnitus is the top war wound for veterans returning home

This is largely due to the fact that so many loud noises occur at war. Soldiers at war are frequently exposed to gunfire, explosives, mortars and loud machine noises. Tinnitus is so common among veterans that roughly 60 percent of the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have some degree of hearing loss or tinnitus.

2. Smoking cigarettes can worsen tinnitus symptoms

There are many toxic chemicals in cigarettes. Many people are aware that these chemicals can negatively impact their lungs and eyes. However, many don’t realize that cigarette smoke is actually also harmful to the ears and can increase the severity of tinnitus.

3. About 50 million people in the United States have tinnitus

This translates to about 10-15 percent of U.S. adults. Of these 50 million people, roughly 12 million have tinnitus that is severe enough to pursue professional medical help. Many of the other roughly 38 million people have mild to moderate tinnitus that does not affect them as much. This could include ringing noises in one ear that are only there sometimes or other similar situations.

4. Most tinnitus cases do not involve real sound, however some do 

Tinnitus that does not involve a person hearing an actual sound is called subjective tinnitus. This is the type that most tinnitus sufferers have. Tinnitus that does involve real sound is called objective tinnitus. If a person has objective tinnitus, then an audiologist will be able to hear the sound by putting a stethoscope near the person’s ear.

If you’re concerned you may be suffering from tinnitus, don’t hesitate to contact an audiologist in your area. Tinnitus can be detrimental to your quality of life, so it’s crucial to get the treatment you need!