What therapies are available for tinnitus?
BY Sophie Mills
1st Jan 2015 Health Conditions
Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, whistling or humming that can be heard in the ears but does not originate from an outside source—there is no known cure, but these therapies may help relieve tinnitus symptoms.
Having an understanding of what tinnitus is, the therapies available and coping techniques could make your tinnitus more manageable.
Tinnitus can have many different causes, such as; a build-up of ear wax, an infection in the middle ear or a problem within the inner ear that can cause the internal noise. Getting these causes treated can be one way to eliminate the symptoms of tinnitus.
However, if your tinnitus is not caused by an easily treatable cause, there are other therapies available to help you, including:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Hearing aids
- Sound therapy
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
In some severe cases of tinnitus, concentration and sleep patterns can be disrupted. CBT can help a sufferer of tinnitus to learn to cope with the condition.
CBT is often used with other therapies to give a holistic approach to treatment.
Sound therapy
For some, sound therapy can be a very effective way to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus.
This type of therapy works by using an external noise, whether music or sound from a specialist sound machine, to mask the internal noises heard as a result of tinnitus.
As with CBT, sound therapy cannot cure tinnitus but can be very effective in masking the ringing.
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT)
Using a combination of CBT and Sound therapy to tackle the neurological aspects of Tinnitus.
Hearing aids
Hearing aids can often be considered a good way to aid someone who has a hearing loss with associated tinnitus (both hearing loss and tinnitus together).
For many people, the use of a hearing aid to help with both their hearing loss and tinnitus can be very beneficial.
It has been suggested that hearing aids can reduce the tinnitus due to their amplification of the external noises and, thus, reducing the extent at which the internal noise can be heard.
Although this may not benefit all those with tinnitus (those without a related hearing loss, etc.), it is worth taking a hearing test to see if you could benefit from a hearing solution.
But remember…
Learning to relax is one key way to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus.
Although it is not known whether tinnitus is directly caused by stress, it is known to exacerbate the symptoms.
The best thing to do when you feel you are experiencing tinnitus is to seek help as soon as you can. This is a brilliant first step to getting clearer hearing sooner.
Tinnitus can bring disruption and discomfort to many of those who suffer from the condition. Get your hearing checked and talk to an audiologist about your tinnitus today.
Need more information about the hearing loss, including its types and causes? Find more here from our carefully selected partners, Hidden Hearing.
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