Tinnitus at The Timbers

A program about tinnitus will be presented by a speaker from Prairieland Audiology at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at , 1100 N. River Road, .

Tinnitus is noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 1 in 5 people. Tinnitus isn't a condition itself — it's a symptom of an underlying condition such as age-related hearing loss, ear injury or a circulatory system disorder.

Although bothersome, tinnitus usually isn't a sign of something serious. Although it can worsen with age, for many people, tinnitus can improve with treatment. Treating an identified underlying cause sometimes helps. Other treatments reduce or mask the noise, making tinnitus less noticeable.

A number of health conditions can cause or worsen tinnitus. However, in many cases, an exact cause is never found.

A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in the inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers ear cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from the ear (auditory nerve) to the brain. The brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside the inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to the brain, causing tinnitus.

Anyone can get tinnitus, but a person might be at increased risk if:

• Exposed to loud noise without ear protection especially on an ongoing basis
• Over 65.
• Suffering age-related hearing loss
• A man
• Caucasian
• Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

The Timbers of Shorewood is a rental retirement community. The Timbers provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay — a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The program is open to the public and admission is free. For more information or to register, call Shelly Goggins at 815-609-0669 or visit The Timbers' website.