What Treatments are Available for Tinnitus?

You can experience tinnitus at any point in your life. According to the U.S Center for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 50 million Americans experience it differently, and it’s more common with older adults. Tinnitus refers to the awareness of sound when there’s no noise. These sounds have been classified as ringing, hissing, whistling, swooshing, buzzing and clicking. They can be loud or soft and low-pitched or high-pitched.

What are the causes of tinnitus?

Tinnitus can occur at any time of the day and can cause you to be distracted from your activities, which can be uncomfortable. Several health conditions cause tinnitus, including the common ones below:

Head or neck injuries

Injuries sustained in your head or neck areas can impact the ear, along with the nerves linked to hearing. They can cause tinnitus within a year.

Medication

Some drugs can cause you to have tinnitus when consumed in higher doses. However, the condition usually clears when you stop using them. Some medications that cause tinnitus include Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants and antimalarial drugs.

Hearing loss

When the delicate hairs in your ear are bent or broken, they can send random electrical impulses to your brain, which causes tinnitus.

How can tinnitus be treated?

Although there’s no known cure for tinnitus, some treatments can manage the symptoms and improve your quality of life. The following treatments are considered reliable for many people who experience tinnitus. Usually, they work by managing the perception sound and reducing the perceived tinnitus intensity. Here are some ways it can be managed.

Hearing aids with masking features

Hearing aids with masking features effectively deal with perceived noise in your ear and grant some relief. These aids can amplify the volume of external sounds to the frequency that drowns out tinnitus. It helps you focus on external noises while taking your mind off unwanted ones. Besides, it increases the amount of auditory stimulation that the brain receives, improving hearing and reducing tinnitus simultaneously. 

Sound machines

Sound machines, also known as sound masking devices, provide white noise, nature sounds, pink noise and other subtle sounds. Although they’re used to induce sleep, they can also provide relief for your tinnitus. The sounds they produce can reduce ringing in your ear, therefore providing temporary relief for you.

Tinnitus retraining therapy

This therapy is a training session to guide you on living with tinnitus on a conscious and subconscious level. It combines three therapeutic steps to ensure that you get comfortable. First, your information is taken, then a device that masks the sound is given to you. You’ll also have psychological sessions, where you learn to ignore the sound and eventually get used to it.

Lifestyle modification

Adopting specific lifestyle changes can help relieve you from tinnitus. For example, exercise, acupuncture, meditation and yoga can help you relax while taking your mind off the unpleasant sound. You should also quit smoking and drinking and embrace healthy eating. Suppose you need to get your earwax removed. In this case, you should see your audiologist to help you out.

Tinnitus can cause disruptions in your daily life. However, you can keep it under control and improve your quality of life. These treatment options listed above are effective in helping you manage it.