By Jenn Schumacher, AuD
Manager, Medical Communications for GN Hearing
If you hear a ringing or buzzing sound, you’re not alone. Tinnitus affects millions.
Tinnitus is a condition where you hear sounds, like ringing or buzzing, without an external source, meaning only you can hear them. Your doctor can refer you to an audiologist, an ear nose and throat (ENT) physician and other specialists to diagnose it by reviewing your medical history and conducting tests, including hearing exams, movement tests, imaging scans, and blood tests. An audiologist can even measure the sound quality and volume of your tinnitus based on your perception of it.
Although most people experience tinnitus from time to time, there are some who experience it every day of their life, or in conjunction with other ear disorders. While for some, chronic or persistent tinnitus isn’t bothersome, for others, it can be very distracting and lead to a lower quality of life.
The good news is there are many methods, tactics and strategies that can enable a sufferer to successfully manage their condition. These include:
- Hearing Aids – Devices that amplify sounds for people with hearing loss, but that can also help reduce the loudness of tinnitus. Often, people with persistent tinnitus may also have hearing loss, so hearing aids can help address both issues.
- Ear Wax Removal – A common procedure that uses a special tool to remove earwax, which can help decrease tinnitus symptoms for some people.
- Noise Suppression – An electronic device, such as a white noise machine or masking device, that help produces a gentle stream of low-level white noise that helps masks the internal sounds of tinnitus.
- Changing Medication – If a medication seems to be causing tinnitus, your doctor may suggest stopping, reducing, or switching to a different medication.
- Stress Relief Efforts – Stress can make tinnitus worse. Relaxation therapy, mindfulness, meditation, or exercise may provide some relief.
- Retraining techniques – Behavioral treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) help you manage tinnitus by changing how you think and feel about your symptoms, leading to reduced symptoms over time.
A common management strategy for tinnitus is using hearing aids. Research indicates two main benefits: they help reduce awareness of tinnitus and amplify external sounds often drowned out by it. Some hearing aids are specifically designed for tinnitus, addressing hearing loss and providing additional sound stimuli to lessen tinnitus loudness and annoyance.
If you don’t have tinnitus-specific hearing aids but have Bluetooth-capable ones, you can download apps for tinnitus management. Apps like the ReSound Relief app provide sound therapy, relaxation and meditation exercises, and other guidance. You can connect your to your device and stream the audio directly into your Bluetooth-capable hearing aids for more effective auditory stimulation.
If you think you or someone you know may have any of these symptoms or are experiencing tinnitus, we recommend consulting a hearing care professional. Be patient with yourself, as new approaches take time.
Discover more here: https://www.resound.com/en-us/hearing-aids/tinnitus-hearing-aids.
