Top FAQs to Ask About Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a relatively common condition amongst the general population, but one that is nearly unknown or discussed at length. As a result, experiencing tinnitus symptoms or being diagnosed with the condition can be somewhat confusing. 

If you have recently been diagnosed with tinnitus, then you will naturally want to ensure you can receive the best treatment and be as well-informed as possible about the condition. To assist with this, below, we’ve provided three questions to ask your audiologist about tinnitus, as well as a little information regarding the answers you may hear.

“Am I experiencing hearing loss?”

It may initially sound odd to ask about hearing loss when you have been diagnosed with what seems to be a very distinct, unrelated condition. However, tinnitus and hearing loss are actually intrinsically linked. While it is possible to experience one of the conditions without the other (having hearing loss without tinnitus, or tinnitus without hearing loss), the vast majority of people with tinnitus do have a degree of hearing loss. 

Your audiologist will usually administer a hearing test in order to ascertain if you are also experiencing hearing loss as well as tinnitus. 

“How will my tinnitus be treated?”

There are a few different ways that tinnitus can be treated. If you are also experiencing hearing loss, then it may be possible to manage the tinnitus as a side benefit of treating your hearing loss – with hearing aids the most common, and successful, option in this regard.

Another option your audiologist may discuss with your is tinnitus masking, which is usually achieved with hearing aids. You do not need to be experiencing hearing loss to use these devices, though if you have been diagnosed with both conditions, the same device can be used to treat both. Tinnitus masking seeks to play continual, distracting noise into your ear, which effectively “masks” tinnitus sounds to the point that you do not notice them at all.

Finally, your audiologist may also recommend tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). This treatment is a combination approach that involves tinnitus masking in conjunction with a therapeutic approach, such as stress management or cognitive-behavioral therapy. TRT is designed to help address all of the components of tinnitus, with the masking providing a suitable distraction and the therapeutic element seeking to make the condition easier to live with.

“Can my tinnitus be cured?”

In some circumstances, the condition may be as a result of a health condition or the use of certain medications. If your audiologist believes that your tinnitus may be a symptom of a secondary condition or related to medication, they can make a recommendation that may result in your tinnitus completely resolving. 

In the vast majority of cases, tinnitus cannot be cured entirely – but that is not to say that it cannot be managed. Treatment will focus on reducing the impact of the condition and ensuring it is not detrimental to your quality of life; an approach that is usually successful. 

Your audiologist should be able to answer all of the questions above and provide insight into your options for managing tinnitus in the future.