Tinnitus is described as hearing sounds in the ears or that is perceived in the head that isn’t coming from the immediate environment. You may notice it more as a low-level sound you can mostly ignore or that it comes during quiet times such as at night during bedtime.

However, there are many individuals who find it rather bothersome and would like answers. It can possibly impact the quality of your life such as fostering sleep disturbances, communication issues or irritability and anxiety. Therefore, you might be wondering, why is there no cure for tinnitus, and what is the best way to manage it? The good news is that an audiologist can help.

Why There’s No Cure for Tinnitus

It’s important to first get to the bottom of the reason why there’s no cure for tinnitus. Keep in mind that it’s a symptom and not a condition. It’s rare that there’s any damage to the peripheral auditory system when experiencing tinnitus. You may have it because of other health conditions or noise exposure damage.

In fact, it might be able to be treated completely and go away if there’s an issue causing it such as a buildup of earwax. However, tinnitus may persist if damage to the auditory system is irreversible and permanent due to noise exposure, for example.

It’s always best to consult with an audiologist who will review your history, perform an exam and determine the ideal treatment plan.

Will Tinnitus Ever Go Away?

Another question and concern for you may be regarding if tinnitus will ever go away. It’s considered a natural phenomenon if it appears randomly and goes away within a few seconds. It may be a temporary experience and be associated with a particular event like an ear infection. In other cases that are more severe and permanent, you may need to seek help and therapies for treating bothersome tinnitus.

Will There Ever Be a Cure?

It’s also important to dive deeper into the question of if there will ever be a cure for tinnitus or not. Right now, there are a lot of researchers working on it and clinical trials being done around tinnitus to learn more about it. Currently, the research is in progress and while there are treatment options producing fair results without adverse effects, there’s still not a cure. Therefore, it may be best to visit an audiologist who can help you manage it.

Hope for Those with Tinnitus

So, what you may still be wondering is if there’s any hope for anyone who experiences tinnitus often. The short answer is, yes, there is reason to be hopeful and there are treatment therapies out there. For instance, drug therapy, electromagnetic treatments and light therapy may work. However, one of the best ways to treat tinnitus, and since it doesn’t have a cure, is to be proactive and manage it by seeing an audiologist.

How to Manage Tinnitus

While there are safe and effective tinnitus treatments in the works of being developed, you may want to know what can help you take control of your tinnitus now. Some of the following tinnitus treatment management strategies have been proven to help people and be successful. These include:

  • Hearing aids: Hearing aids are most helpful if tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss. They may work to improve the hearing of environmental sounds which in turn can also reduce the loudness that comes with tinnitus.
  • Sound-based therapies: White noise machines, TV, music and audiobooks might be useful. They provide background noise and can distract you from tinnitus.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based therapy: With these therapies, it’s all about neutralizing the negative emotions and reactions that may arise with tinnitus. They’re great for developing coping strategies that work.

While there is no cure for tinnitus there is hope and ways to manage it for a better day-to-day experience for you. If you’re looking for tinnitus therapy then it’s best to schedule an appointment with a trained audiologist. At Affordable Audiology, we sell more than just hearing aids. We sell better hearing for life.

Affordable Audiology & Hearing Service specializes in hearing assessment, hearing rehabilitation, tinnitus management and hearing aids. Our audiologist understands the day-to-day impacts of tinnitus, which is why we offer a handful of different treatments to help you get the relief you deserve. Contact us to learn more about Affordable Audiology & Hearing Service at (920) 267-5220.