Tinnitus is often described as a “ringing” in the ears, even though no external sound source is present. Although tinnitus is often described as a “ringing” sound, these phantom sounds can present as buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing, or humming sounds. For some, the tinnitus they experience will come and go. For others, the tinnitus they experience will remain constant, making tinnitus very challenging to live with.
Although there is no single cure for tinnitus, there are specific strategies our audiologist can use to significantly reduce the impact tinnitus has on your life.
What Causes Tinnitus?
There are a variety of different reasons one might experience tinnitus, but the most common causation is hearing loss and/or exposure to loud noises. Other potential causes include:
- Earwax or foreign blockage of ear canal
- Broken or damaged hair cells in the cochlea
- Jaw joint disorders
- Head trauma
- Diet
- Stress
- Certain medications
- Blood vessel disorders (although this is relatively rare)
Can Tinnitus Be Cured?
Currently, there is no cure for tinnitus. Promising research leaves many individuals optimistic about the future, yet we are still years away from clinical trials and even further away from providing a commercially-available cure for tinnitus.
The good news, however, is that there are several options to achieve tinnitus relief, which can reduce symptoms enough to help you live and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Your Treatment Options for Tinnitus
The progression and symptoms of tinnitus vary from person-to-person. That’s why Dr. Drummond and the team at Affordable Audiology & Hearing Service perform in-depth tinnitus evaluations before recommending the most appropriate tinnitus treatment option for you.
Once we’ve thoroughly discussed your symptoms and medical history, we will complete a variety of audiological tests to ensure we have a complete picture of what you’re experiencing. Next, we’ll make a treatment recommendation based on your unique situation. Example treatment recommendations may include the following:
Hearing Aids
The most common treatment option for those individuals experiencing both tinnitus and hearing loss is the use of personal hearing devices. Hearing aids can both improve your overall hearing ability and drastically reduce your perception of tinnitus through the use of masking features or tinnitus sound generators.
Ongoing Tinnitus Treatment
Treatment for tinnitus may also be ongoing. For example, tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a technique that combines sound therapy with directive counseling to alter the brain’s limbic response. Individuals receiving TRT learn to cope with their tinnitus on a conscious and subconscious level, resulting in an overall reduction of tinnitus perception.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may also be able to improve your tinnitus symptoms. This counseling tool is designed to alter your emotional response to tinnitus, which may help reduce stress and overall debilitation caused by tinnitus.