Tinnitus Treatment Options

Tinnitus can be described with many different words – ringing, buzzing, humming, musical are just some of the more common ones.  It is safe to say that everyone’s version of their internal noise is unique to them.  Tinnitus at times can fluctuate in intensity, tone, or even the sound entirely.  More often, the majority of people who experience tinnitus cope with it and manage it reasonably well with no specific tool.  Others need to find a solution to get the noise to stop.

Let’s define what tinnitus is

• Tinnitus is (as defined by the Mayo Clinic) the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. A common problem, tinnitus affects about 15 to 20 percent of 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.
• Tinnitus is a noise that someone hears in their head that nobody else hears.  It can be described as ringing, humming, buzzing, cicadas, music, and several other things.
• The sensation of tinnitus is unique to the individual.  At times certain people have fluctuating tinnitus where their sound becomes louder or changes in pitch.
• Tinnitus sounds are usually most present when there is little to no other sounds around you, which is why people hear their tinnitus loudest when they are in bed.
• Most people who have tinnitus often feel like they don’t hear their tinnitus very loudly, or at all during the day when their activity levels are highest.
• The person who has tinnitus often has a degree of hearing loss, however, not everyone with hearing loss has tinnitus.
• Tinnitus can be caused as a side effect of certain medications that are toxic to the inner ear.
• The sensation of tinnitus is often increased when stress levels become higher. This includes blood pressure, lack of sleep, and tension.

So what can you do about this?

Taking care of your well being is a great start.  Eating a balanced diet, exercise and getting good sleep are great ways to better health as any health practitioner would suggest.  If you may be using these certain medications, have a conversation with your doctor and pharmacist to see if there may be an alternative for you to use.

However, those who are experiencing tinnitus should book a hearing assessment so that they can have a proper conversation with a hearing practitioner to determine the core cause of the tinnitus. For people who have tinnitus and a hearing loss which is appropriate for amplification, we have found with proper amplification, the sensation of tinnitus is minimized or even reduced to levels which no longer are heard while the hearing aids are being used. If you or a loved one is experiencing tinnitus, we should have a conversation.

If you want to know more about some modern hearing aids which we recommend often, click this link for more information.

Until then, be well.

Edmond