ORLANDO, Fla. — Many Orlando residents live with a coming and going, sometimes constant, ringing sound in their ears. This week is Tinnitus Awareness Week which is giving local doctors a chance to educate the public on what this condition is.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
“It’s not getting a signal from the ear; it’s just creating its own noise,” Hunter Spencer, the Regional Director and partial owner of Beltone Hearing Care Centers said. “That’s why the person with it is the only one who hears it.”
Tinnitus is a hearing condition that can be crippling for some and affect moods, concentration, and sleep. Spencer said the condition can be brought on by exposure to loud noises, medication, or alcohol and drug use.
Read: Mom accused of fatally beating teen son with extension cord, causing over 1,100 injuries
“Some people describe it as a buzz like a bumble bee flying by their ear, some people it’s like a cricket or a whistle, some people their hearing just drops out and it’s a loud obnoxious ring,” Spencer said.
Throughout their Central Florida clinics, Spencer said almost seven out of every ten patients is dealing with Tinnitus. While there is no cure for the condition there are treatment options.
“Not the stuff sold on the television, internet, or off the shelf,” Spencer said. “Supply those receptors with signals, when you correct the hearing loss, that’s what will mask the Tinnitus.”
Read: ‘Fulfilling her dream’: 7-year-old girl dies after junior drag racing accident, family says
Spencer has Tinnitus and encourages anyone struggling with hearing loss to get checked.
“When I wear my hearing aid the ringing goes away,” Spencer said. “When I take my hearing aid off it comes back. It’s simply the ear sending a signal to that area of the brain, the brain no longer needs to make the false response of misfire.”
If you are struggling with hearing loss or think you may have Tinnitus, you can find more resources here Beltone Hearing Care & Hearing Aid Center - Beltone America
Read: Pet Alliance to host ‘Paws in the Park’ event Saturday at Lake Eola
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
