Tinnitus is a condition when a person experiences ringing or hears other noises in one or both ears. Most types of tinnitus aren’t caused by an external sound which means that only the person with tinnitus can hear it.
The sounds brought about by tinnitus can either be mild or very disturbing, to the point where it can be difficult to sleep or concentrate on daily activities. In this blog, we’ll help you understand more about tinnitus and be familiar with different types of interventions that can help tinnitus go away.
Tinnitus Treatment Options
Sound Therapy
Sound therapy or acoustic therapy is one of the most common tinnitus treatments. Harbor City Hearing Solutions offers sound therapy for tinnitus where we help the brain to refocus and decrease the emotional impact of tinnitus.
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are also a popular tinnitus treatment option and can be recommended even if the patient has no significant hearing loss. Why? It’s because some hearing aids are equipped with tinnitus-masking features to help wearers block out the noise and provide much-needed relief from tinnitus. Of course, hearing aids can be used in collaboration with hearing loss treatment.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Tinnitus retraining therapy, also referred to as habituation therapy, attempts to retrain the brain to perceive tinnitus in a different manner. TRT can also help tinnitus patients to cope with any emotional difficulties they may be experiencing, including stress, anxiety, depression, or anger.
How is Tinnitus Diagnosed?
Tinnitus is typically diagnosed based on symptoms alone. However, in order for the symptoms to be treated, the type of tinnitus needs to be identified and any underlying condition(s) must be ruled out.
Can you pass a hearing test with tinnitus?
Tinnitus can affect hearing by making it more difficult to identify certain words and pitches during the hearing test. The good news is that audiologists are trained to conduct tests on patients who have tinnitus. The key is to let the audiologist or hearing health specialist know that you have tinnitus before the hearing test is performed.
Living With Tinnitus
Tinnitus is unique for each individual; some might be able to shrug it off and treat the sounds as passing noise, while others may feel very disturbed or annoyed by the sound.
Living a normal life with tinnitus is possible, with the right intervention and management techniques. Below are some tips on how to rise above tinnitus:
Avoid anxiety or stress
Stress and anxiety are considered as main triggers of tinnitus because they can stimulate an already sensitive auditory system. Learning some relaxing or calming techniques may help lower tinnitus symptoms. Getting enough rest and avoiding unnecessary fatigue may also help diminish the presence of tinnitus.
Lifestyle changes
These include coffee (or anything with caffeine), alcohol, and smoking (nicotine). Generally, staying away from these stimulants, lowering your intake of these stimulants, and having a balanced diet can help promote an overall healthy lifestyle.
Use tinnitus or sound maskers
Tinnitus is more noticeable when the surroundings are quieter. Masking the sounds of tinnitus can greatly reduce the amount of noise and make it less annoying. Hearing aids and sound devices that produce white noise or masking sound can help.
Join support groups for tinnitus
In cases like tinnitus, knowing that there are other people all over the world experiencing the same thing may provide some sort of comfort to a tinnitus patient. Getting the right support, motivation, and counseling can make a big difference. Equipping oneself with the latest developments and innovations in tinnitus treatments is also a good way to better understand and handle one’s condition.
Tinnitus Evaluation and Treatment in Melbourne, FL
Harbor City Hearing Solutions provides tinnitus evaluation and treatment in Melbourne, FL. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!
