First specialist Tinnitus clinic opens in Al Ain

AL AIN - Al Ain Hospital officially opened recently a specialist Tinnitus Clinic as part of the ENT (ear, nose, throat) department.

By (Staff Reporter)

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Published: Tue 29 Nov 2011, 12:30 AM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 10:40 AM

“This is the first dedicated, multi-disciplinary clinic in the UAE to treat tinnitus. The clinic will function twice a month initially and then will be open four times a month,” said George Jepson, CEO of Al Ain Hospital.

Tinnitus is the perception of sound within the human ear even in the absence of corresponding external sound. It is not a disease, but a symptom that can result from a wide range of underlying causes like abnormally loud sounds in the ear canal for even the briefest period (but usually with some duration), ear infections, foreign objects in the ear, nasal allergies that prevent (or induce) fluid drain, or wax build-up.

“With so many gadgets now having in-ear headphones, there is an increased risk of tinnitus,” explained Prof Gerard Schwab, Medical Director of Al Ain Hospital.

“The in-ear headphones cause sound to enter directly into the ear canal without any opportunity to be deflected or absorbed elsewhere. This is a common cause of tinnitus when volume is set beyond moderate levels,” added Prof Schwab. While the most common cause of tinnitus is noise-induced hearing loss, it can also be caused by natural hearing impairment like through ageing, as a side effect of some medications, and also through genetic or congenital hearing loss.

“The treatment options depend on the cause. The solutions may vary from hearing aids to maskers, laser applications and surgery. In some cases even psycho-therapy helps,” explained Dr Abdulla Al Nakshabandi, Head of ENT Department at Al Ain Hospital.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com


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