Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, whistling or other noise experienced in the ears. It’s a common problem and roughly 1 in 5 people are affected by it. The most common cause of tinnitus is prolonged exposure to loud sounds, but it can also be caused by infections, blockages in the ear, some medications, aging, and health conditions.
Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, but it doesn’t cause it. And hearing loss doesn’t cause tinnitus. How do you get rid of tinnitus? Currently there isn’t a single treatment that will work for everyone. If the underlying cause of tinnitus can be found and treated, that may help to ease your symptoms. If the specific cause can’t be identified, there are other treatments available that can help you manage the condition such as sound therapy, counseling, and hearing aids designed to combat tinnitus.
Sound Therapy: also referred to as acoustic therapy, can help to make the ringing in your ears less noticeable. Background noise can help to cover up some of the sound in your ears.
Hearing Aids: Amplification with the use of hearing aids will boost ambient sounds which will help direct your attention elsewhere. There are some hearing aids designed to help combat tinnitus. Come in to the office for a hands-on demonstration.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT): this form of therapy uses cognitive behavioural therapy with a masking device, to help train your brain to ignore the ringing in your ears.
If you think you have tinnitus, the first thing to do is schedule an appointment with a hearing professional for a hearing assessment and to learn more about possible treatments.
