3 Ways Tinnitus is Treated

Sufferers of the hearing problem tinnitus describe it as causing a ringing, humming, whistling or buzzing in the ears. It can be an incredibly irritating condition that an have a huge impact on your life – keeping you awake at night, for example, or even affecting your general hearing by a significant amount. Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus other than tackling the underlying causes of the problem. There are, however, several strategies for managing tinnitus and reducing its impact. Let’s take a look at three of the most popular ways of treating tinnitus.

Use of a hearing aid

If you are suffering from tinnitus, the primary goal should be to find and eliminate the underlying problem that is causing it – but you may also benefit from wearing a hearing aid. When you start losing your hearing, tinnitus is often a result and can get worse as your ability to hear decreases. The truth is that hearing loss is a gradual and often unnoticeable process, and many people blame the tinnitus as the root cause of their hearing difficulties, when in fact they are experiencing a decline in their hearing. By wearing a hearing aid, you can reduce the impact of your tinnitus and improve your ability to hear and distinguish sounds that were previously a little muddied.

Use of masking devices

Masking devices are very similar to hearing aids, in that they are worn in the ear. However, there is a big difference – with hearing aids, sounds are amplified, whereas a masking device will actually produce a constant noise or tone that competes with the noise or tone you are hearing from your tinnitus. You will need to see a hearing specialist or audiologist to run some tests and determine the correct signal or tone. But these masking devices can be incredibly effective in easing your suffering and feeling more comfortable.

Use of therapy

You can also have therapy to reduce the impact of tinnitus. There is a range of options out there for tinnitus sufferers, so it’s a question of trying them out until you find one that suits. Some people find Tinnitus Training Therapy – also known as TRT – to be incredibly helpful. It’s a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and using a masking device that makes it a lot easier to ignore the problematic buzzing, ringing or humming that you have been suffering. CBT can also work as a standalone treatment for tinnitus. It will teach you to manage the feelings of stress, anxiety, and – possibly – depression that can often come with hearing a loud ringing in your ears. Part of the problem with tinnitus is that once it starts, it makes you feel more anxious – and then gets worse further still. The CBT treatment will help you break that vicious cycle and, over time, reduce the impact of the noises you are hearing.

There are many ways to treat tinnitus, but the three listed above are probably the most popular. If you are a tinnitus sufferer, always see your doctor or an audiologist to ensure you get the right treatment for your needs.