What Treatments are Available for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus means hearing noises inside your ears that are not caused by external sounds, only the person experiencing tinnitus can hear these sounds. An individual might experience tinnitus as ringing, hissing, humming, throbbing or buzzing. 

Tinnitus may be experienced in just one ear, or both ears. It can also feel as though the sound is coming from inside the head. Tinnitus can be muffled or loud, and may be low pitched or high. A person who experiences tinnitus may hear the noises constantly, or find that the sounds stop at intervals.

What causes tinnitus? 

Most of the time, tinnitus is caused by problems with the ears, whether an injury to the ear or some form of hearing loss. In some cases, tinnitus can be caused by underlying issues with the circulatory system. The condition can also be brought on by repeated exposure to loud noises, an ear infection or a build-up of earwax. 

If you believe that you are experiencing tinnitus, you’ll need to visit your audiologist. Tinnitus can be both frustrating and uncomfortable. So what treatments are available for tinnitus? Let’s take a look.

Hearing aids with masking features

One of the most common treatments for tinnitus is called a tinnitus masker, this is a type of hearing aid that can mask tinnitus noises. These hearing aids emit either narrow-band or broad-band noise, at a low level. The noise helps to mask the sounds caused by tinnitus. 

If an individual experiences tinnitus and hearing loss, the hearing aid can provide support for both conditions. There are several different types of hearing aids including in the canal (ITC), behind the ear (BTE) and in the ear (ITE). An audiologist will be able to advise you on the best type of hearing aid for you, as well as features that mask the sounds of tinnitus.

Sound machines 

Sound machines are designed to dampen distracting noises. These machines can offer sound masking, to help those who experience tinnitus. Sound machines can help those who experience tinnitus to drift off to sleep or to concentrate in a workplace environment. 

The background noise works as a kind of sound therapy, distracting the individual from their tinnitus sounds. A sound machine might play white noise sounds or ambient noises such as crashing waves or bird song.

Tinnitus retraining therapy 

Tinnitus retraining therapy helps people to learn how to deal with their tinnitus, and reduce the associated stress. The idea is that tinnitus retraining therapy helps the brain learn how to block out the sounds. Both audiologists and therapists contribute to a tinnitus retraining therapy program. 

The concept is to help the patient to not pay attention to the noise, and to stop perceiving the noise as dangerous. For more information on tinnitus retraining therapy, speak to one of our audiologists today.

Lifestyle modifications

Some medications have been associated with worsening tinnitus, including certain antidepressants or anti-inflammatory drugs. Once all options have been explored with your audiologist, it may be worth discussing any medications you take with your doctor.

Quitting vices such as drinking and smoking have also been associated with alleviating tinnitus. Stress reduction practices are further helpful, including meditation and yoga. In some instances, tinnitus may be worsened by a buildup of earwax, and so removing earwax may help to reduce the symptoms.