Understanding Tinnitus and Its Treatment

What people need to understand about tinnitus is that it’s a condition that many people suffer from and can also be a symptom of an underlying disease.  With that being said, having tinnitus means that you have impairments in your auditory system. A damaged cochlea (hair cells inside of your ears) is one of the reasons you are experiencing this symptom, as it is linked to the nerves in your ears that produce sound. If these hair cells are damaged, they won’t be able to send sound waves back to the brain to perceive sound.

Another reason is age-related hearing loss. It’s common for a person to experience tinnitus when they are exposed to prolonged noise exposure and ototoxins (ear poison caused by drugs). So, tinnitus may be a sign of hearing loss for people taking chemotherapy.

Tinnitus is incurable. The extent can be mild or severe, and the effects can be gradual or immediate. Patients can suffer from ringing, hissing, or buzzing in their ears, along with dizziness (in some cases). Whatever the case may be, getting tinnitus treatment is important to help reduce the effect of tinnitus on your auditory system. You can also educate yourself on the things that you should be doing in case you experience this condition.

Tests That Identify Tinnitus

Doctors can typically identify tinnitus based on the symptoms alone. However, to better understand how to treat your tinnitus, your doctor will examine your ear canal and your medical records. They are also likely to run tests to identify different causes. These tests might include:

•   Lab tests – Doctors may draw your blood to test for anemia, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, and heart diseases.
•   Audio Exam – During this test, you will be put inside a soundproof room with headphones on. The headphones will then transmit sound signals to your ears one at a time. After this, your scores will be based on how people your age will fair.
•   Movement Test – Your doctor will ask you to move different parts of your body to identify any underlying symptoms that may be connected to your tinnitus. They include clenching your jaw, moving your neck and eyes.
•   CT and MRI scans – These tests can help identify other causes of tinnitus such as earwax blockage. Doing these may help doctors find a way to lessen the impact of your condition.

Treatments for Tinnitus

The first step of treating your tinnitus is to identify if it’s an underlying symptom of another condition. However, if it remains after the treatment, medical professionals recommend non-medical alternatives. In some cases, tinnitus goes away without warning and without any treatment at all. However, as stated previously, it’s an incurable symptom. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be treated. Let’s take a look at a few treatments below.

•   Sound-Masking Devices – These devices provide a great mask for tinnitus as the external sounds mask the internal ringing of the ears. The most common type of sound-masking device is the tabletop version. However, there are versions where they can fit in your ears.

The devices can play pink noise, nature noise, white noise, and other ambient sounds. Some people prefer to play a low volume type of sound, just to drown out their tinnitus. Other people, on the other hand, play a slightly louder type of music to drown out their tinnitus completely.

•   Hearing Aids – Many people diagnosed with tinnitus are also diagnosed with hearing loss. Hearing aids are small devices that help people with difficulty hearing distinguish sounds. They have small microphones and speakers to enhance the volume of outside noises.

With that being said, people with bad hearing are more susceptible and have a more prominent ringing in their ears compared to people with better hearing. So, the better hearing you have, the better chances that your tinnitus won’t act up.

•   Exercise – Tinnitus can be triggered by anxiety, lack of sleep, illness, depression, and stress. That’s why exercising not only helps treat tinnitus but also improves your overall health. When you exercise on a regular basis, it can improve your sleep and stay healthy in the long run.

Seek the Help of a Professional

As stated before, tinnitus can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. So, if you experience ringing, clicking, or hissing in your ears, you should go talk to your doctor. They have the knowledge and expertise to treat tinnitus and help you cope with this condition.

Before we wrap it up, we would like to leave you a tip. You should protect your ears by lowering the volume of your headsets and wearing protection when working in a noisy environment.