Tinnitus

Ringing, Buzzing, Whistling, Clicking

Are You Struggling With Tinnitus?

We can help. We specialize in treating tinnitus and understand that the first step is identifying the cause. If your tinnitus stems from a treatable issue like earwax buildup or an infection, addressing that will often eliminate the ringing. For more persistent cases, often caused by long-term noise exposure, the focus shifts to managing the condition effectively.

Our team has extensive training in various tinnitus management techniques. We’ll take a detailed history, conduct a comprehensive evaluation, and explain the causes of tinnitus. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan for managing your tinnitus throughout your day. This might involve using specific sounds in your environment or recommending a personal tinnitus masker.

Ultimately, our goal is to empower you with knowledge and tools to manage your tinnitus effectively. We offer various options, including tinnitus maskers that help suppress the ringing sounds. If you have both hearing loss and tinnitus, we can explore combination devices that function as both hearing aids and maskers. With three FDA-approved tinnitus masker options available, we’ll find the best fit for you.

Let’s explore the causes, symptoms, and available treatments to help you find relief.

What Can Cause Tinnitus?

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Loud Noise Exposure

This is a major culprit, including things like machinery, concerts, and loud music on headphones.

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Ear Problems

Earwax buildup, infections, and inner ear disorders like Meniere’s disease can all trigger tinnitus.

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Other Health Conditions

Tinnitus can also be linked to high blood pressure, head injuries, and some chronic conditions.

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Medications

Certain antibiotics, aspirin, and some antidepressants can have tinnitus as a side effect.

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Age-Related Hearing Loss

As we age, hearing loss is common, and tinnitus can sometimes accompany it.

Treatments for Tinnitus

There is no cure for tinnitus, but there are treatments that can help to manage the symptoms. Living with tinnitus’s constant ringing can be frustrating. Don’t suffer in silence. Early intervention is key. Seeking professional help allows you to explore a personalized treatment plan and improve your quality of life.

1. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is a form of habituation therapy designed specifically for managing tinnitus. It aims to help people with tinnitus habituate to the sound, essentially retraining their brain to no longer perceive it as a bothersome presence.

TRT works through a two-pronged approach:

Directive Counseling: A qualified audiologist provides counseling to help you understand the nature of tinnitus and its underlying causes. This educational component helps reduce anxiety and fear associated with tinnitus, which can worsen its perception. The therapist also helps you reclassify tinnitus as a neutral sound, rather than a threat.
Sound Therapy: This involves using specialized sound generators or maskers. These devices emit low-level, soothing sounds like white noise or nature sounds. The idea is that these external sounds will mask the tinnitus, making it less noticeable over time. This helps your brain learn to de-emphasize the tinnitus and focus on external sounds instead.

Through a combination of counseling and sound therapy, TRT aims to essentially rewire your brain’s response to tinnitus. The ultimate goal is for you to become less aware of the tinnitus or perceive it as less bothersome, allowing you to live a more normal life.

Here are some additional points to consider about TRT:

Success Rates: Studies suggest that TRT can lead to significant improvement in about 80% of people https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350162.
Treatment Duration: TRT is a gradual process, typically requiring commitment for at least 12 months to achieve lasting results.
Who Can Benefit: TRT is most effective for people with chronic, moderate to severe tinnitus.

2. Informational & Educational Counseling

Feeling lost in the world of tinnitus? Informational counseling can be your compass. This type of counseling equips you with knowledge about tinnitus, its causes, and how it affects hearing. You’ll learn about different treatment options, like sound therapy and relaxation techniques, along with their pros and cons. Educational counseling also clarifies audiometric test results, helping you understand your specific situation. By empowering you with knowledge, this counseling approach fosters informed decision-making about managing your tinnitus and improving your overall well-being.

3. Amplification/Hearing Aids

Amplification, often through hearing aids, can be a surprising ally in tinnitus management, especially for those with coexisting hearing loss. By amplifying external sounds, hearing aids compete with the internal tinnitus perception, making it less noticeable. This masking effect can be particularly helpful if the tinnitus pitch falls within the range of amplified frequencies.

Additionally, improved hearing through amplification can reduce listening effort, which can indirectly lessen tinnitus annoyance. However, amplification isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Consulting a hearing professional is crucial to determine if amplification is right for you and to ensure proper fitting for optimal tinnitus relief.

4. Sound Therapy

Sound therapy offers a calming approach to tinnitus relief. It uses external sounds to mask the ringing in your ears. These masking sounds can be various, like nature sounds (ocean waves, rain), white noise, or even music. The idea is to provide a gentle, constant background noise that competes with your tinnitus, making it less noticeable. This helps your brain focus on the external sounds and reduces the salience of the tinnitus. Sound therapy can be used throughout the day or at night to improve sleep quality. While it doesn’t eliminate tinnitus, it can significantly reduce its impact on your daily life.

5. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a talk therapy that targets the thoughts and behaviors that worsen tinnitus. It helps you identify negative thinking patterns, like fearing tinnitus means something serious.

You’ll learn to challenge these thoughts and replace them with more helpful ones. CBT also teaches relaxation techniques to manage stress, a big tinnitus trigger. By changing your thinking and calming anxieties, CBT can help you habituate to tinnitus, reducing its impact on your life.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the perception of sound that doesn’t have an external source. In other words, it’s a sound or sounds in the ears that only you can hear. Tinnitus is often described as a ringing sound, but some people hear other noises, such as: