Tinnitus is the third most common condition in the US right now. It affects over 50 million Americans and can result from long-term hearing loss or be brought on by a singular event.
People who work in loud environments for a long time are at risk of tinnitus. Mechanics, factory workers, and military personnel are more vulnerable; however, past trauma can also cause tinnitus. Fireworks or gunshots are perfect examples of sounds that could incur tinnitus.
But how do you treat tinnitus, and is there a cure?
In this article, I explain everything you need to know about tinnitus and what treatment option will be best suited for your individual circumstance.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a perceptual sound that occurs in one or both ears. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, whooshing, static, and sometimes even music. There are two types of tinnitus.
Subjective – This is the more common type between the two and is any sound that only the patient can hear.
Objective – The rarer of the two, objective tinnitus can sometimes be heard by your hearing care professional. It’s a sound created by a physical issue within the ear. With so many small and delicate bones within your ear, they can sometimes cause friction to produce a sound.
Is There A Cure For Tinnitus?
There is no “cure” for tinnitus as simple as a medication or a treatment.
However, through processes such as amplification, sound therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy, we can help lessen the effects of tinnitus immensely.
What Are The Treatments Available For Managing Tinnitus?
Even though there is no specific cure, tinnitus has been known to lessen or go away on its own. While this is not common, there is always a chance this could happen with you.
In the meantime, we offer many different types of treatment. They include: amplification when tinnitus is accompanied by hearing loss, sound therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
What Is The Best Remedy For Tinnitus?
The best treatment for tinnitus is specific to each individual patient and their needs. Schedule an appointment with your audiologist to determine what will be the best fit for you.
We have many options at our disposal, but we can’t be sure which one will work for you until we do a comprehensive hearing assessment. Here are some treatments that have shown great success in the past:
● Hearing aids
● Earwax removal
● Treating a blood vessel
● White noise machines to drown out the sound
● Changing medications
● Counseling
Hearing aids are the most popular due to their success rate. With the advanced technology available these days, most modern hearing aids include tinnitus masking options to help alleviate tinnitus symptoms.
What Is The Best Medicine For Tinnitus?
There is no medicine currently that treats tinnitus. If one becomes available, we will complete our due diligence to assure its safety and effectiveness.
I recommend visiting an audiologist to determine what is causing your tinnitus to ensure you receive swift relief from your unpleasant symptoms.
What Happens If Tinnitus Gets Louder?
Tinnitus is known to fluctuate based on many different factors. Baseline hearing tests by an audiologist are essential. Also, stress and diet may be impacting a person’s level of tinnitus.
Regular blood pressure checks and annual physicals with your primary care physician are essential for overall health and wellness.
What Should I Do Next?
Schedule a hearing assessment at your earliest convenience. Even if your symptoms are mild, we may be able to determine what is causing ringing in your ears and it could be a simple solution, such as the removal of impacted earwax.
You won’t know the best treatment option until you have a professional assess you for the root of the cause.
If you have any questions, please call us anytime to have a friendly no-obligation conversation.
We’re here to help alleviate your troubling tinnitus.