What Treatment Options Exist For Tinnitus?

Living with tinnitus can be exhausting, stressful, and overwhelming. Any time hearing problems arise, it affects one’s daily life more than they’re ready for. But you don’t have to battle tinnitus alone; there are several treatment options available.

In this blog, we’ll break down some of the most common treatment options, from sound therapy to natural supplements like Phytage Laboratory’s Tinnitus 911. Many times, tinnitus can’t be cured, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it easier on yourself. You deserve relief from your tinnitus symptoms and luckily there are several treatment options to explore.

But first, let’s break down exactly what tinnitus is, how common it is, and how it can affect a person’s quality of life.

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a common and often infuriating condition, in which individuals experience persistent ringing, clicking or other unpleasant noises within the ears. The Mayo Clinic claims that tinnitus affects 15 to 20 percent of people across the globe; however it’s most prevalent among older adults. Nobody around you will be able to hear these sounds – just you!

What Causes Tinnitus?

There are a few different causes for tinnitus, none of which are very pleasant. Below we break down the most common causes.

• Hearing loss: Simply losing your hearing can cause tinnitus. Tiny hairs in your ears can be damaged or broken, which can cause malfunctions in their electrical signals. Tinnitus happens as a result of signals becoming leaked to your brain, which hears them as phantom sounds like ringing in your ears.

• Medications can cause tinnitus: Certain medicines, like cancer drugs and some specific antibiotics, may cause tinnitus, or make an already existing case worse. Make sure you’re careful with which medications you choose, especially if you already have tinnitus.

• Head or neck injuries: If an injury to your head, neck, or upper body occurs, it can damage your inner ear, causing tinnitus.

• Ear infections: Certain ear infections can change the pressure in your ear or ears, which could result in tinnitus.

• Ear blockage: Having a blockage in your ear could trigger certain electrical signals in your ear to your brain, causing symptoms of tinnitus.

What Are The Symptoms Of Tinnitus?

Those with tinnitus may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Ringing noises
• Clicking noises
• Buzzing noises
• Hissing or humming noises
• Roaring or flushing sounds

If you begin to experience one or more of these, contact your doctor for treatment options.

Conclusion—What Treatment Options Exist For Tinnitus?

There are several options available for treating tinnitus, depending on the cause of your tinnitus and your symptoms. First, an audiologist will perform auditory tests and inspect your inner ear. They also may do lab testing, test your movement and how your symptoms respond, and conduct imaging tests to get a better look. Then, they may recommend the following options:

1. Recommend a change in your medication, which could be the cause
2. Remove earwax buildup or extract other blockages
3. Perform surgery if a blood vessel or other injury is causing the tinnitus
4. Provide hearing aids that can help limit symptoms and improve overall hearing, particularly as you age
5. Recommend sound therapy sessions to deal with or treat symptoms
6. Recommend supplements aimed to battle tinnitus symptoms
7. Recommend other therapies (like cognitive behavior therapy) to learn how to cope with symptoms
8. Recommend devices to mask your symptoms like a white noise machine or other technologies

There are several options to explore to help improve your quality of life after it’s been affected by tinnitus. Have comprehensive conversations with your ear doctor to find the best path to move forward for you.