What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition that affects more than fifty million Americans to some degree. In most cases, tinnitus causes noises in the ear, which can take the form of ringing, humming, or even buzzing – these noises may vary in pitch and volume. Tinnitus isn’t created by an external source and other people can not hear it. It can affect anyone but typically manifests in those with hearing loss related to age, people who have suffered ear injuries, and even people who have issues with their circulatory system. Tinnitus, unfortunately, does not have a cure but there are treatments that can reduce the noise and make tinnitus less obvious.
With the help of an audiologist, a treatment plan can be made to help patients with tinnitus. But what is the BEST treatment?
Determining what the best treatment is for tinnitus depends on several things. What might work for one patient, won’t necessarily work for another. Seeking the help of a doctor who specializes in audiology should be the first step you take towards better hearing.
Resonance Audiology has a dedicated team that will help you improve your hearing and while there might not be a cure for the ringing in your ear, there are things that an audiologist can do to help.
- Hearing Aids – A large portion of people who suffer from tinnitus also suffer from hearing loss. Typically, hearing aids help amplify sound for people who have hearing loss but they can also help patients with tinnitus. It is possible that the better you can hear things in your surroundings, the less you may notice the ringing in your ear.
- Maskers – Sound masking devices can produce a gentle sound that can drown out the sound of tinnitus. It can come in the form of a device worn in the ears, but unlike hearing aids, these do not amplify sound. The sounds that come from a masker can be something like nature sounds, ambient sounds, white noise, or even music. The goal is to have a sound loud enough to drown out the tinnitus without causing a distraction.
- Counseling – Tinnitus can also be associate with depression, anxiety, insomnia, or stress. It is possible that seeing a therapist or a counselor can help reduce things like stress and depression. A doctor like a psychologist or a psychiatrist may be able to assist in ways that an audiologist can’t.
- Relaxing – Finding ways to relax can help alleviate stress, which can indirectly play a role in your tinnitus. Relaxing can come in many forms, whether it be meditation, managing your sleep, or even exercising and managing your overall health. Anything that can give your brain a rest and get your mind off of your tinnitus can help. Relaxing can also mean avoiding triggers and things that can bring on stress, which can include smoking, drinking alcohol, or other things that would trigger stress in your life.
If you suffer from tinnitus or aren’t sure if what you are experiencing is tinnitus, seeing an audiologist as soon as possible is key. A doctor from Resonance Audiology can help properly diagnose you and form a treatment plan for your tinnitus or a multitude of other issues relating to your ear or hearing. Finding the best solution to your hearing problems is our number one priority. We can work with you to customize a unique treatment plan that fits your lifestyle and we have three locations in Garden Spot, Lancaster, and New Holland to cover a wide area and serve as many patients as we can.