Tinnitus Treatment

What Causes the Ringing Sound in My Ears?

If you experience ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking sounds in your ears that last five minutes or longer, you are probably suffering from tinnitus.

These sounds are typically caused by damage to the cochlea or inner ear. If you are suffering from tinnitus, you are not alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 15 percent of Americans, or more than 50 million people, experience tinnitus.

Tinnitus can be caused by exposure to loud noises, head or neck injuries, aging, wax build-up or specific medications. Tinnitus can also be a symptom of a more serious disease, so it’s important to see your doctor if you have that concern.

Is Sudden Ringing in the Ears a Serious Condition?

If you suddenly experience ringing or buzzing in one ear, along with hearing loss and/or dizziness, you should be seen immediately, as it may be a sign of something serious. For most people, however, tinnitus symptoms are minor and easily managed. After a few minutes or hours, tinnitus usually clears up without the need for medical treatment. Chronic tinnitus occurs frequently and lasts longer with each episode. The presence of tinnitus typically indicates you also have hearing loss.

Man plugging his ear to try to stop ringing in his ears.

How Can I Stop the Ringing Sound in My Ears?

A hearing aid will allow you to better focus on the speech or music you want to hear and help diminish the ringing or buzzing caused by tinnitus. Many hearing aids feature tinnitus-masking features which provide quiet sounds that help drown out the tinnitus. Call Us Advanced Hearing Solutions in West Chester and Exton at 610-981-1692 to make an appointment with us today.

Is There a Cure for Tinnitus?

Unfortunately, there is no known permanent cure for tinnitus, but there are ways to manage your tinnitus. People who have significant hearing loss in one or both ears and also suffer from tinnitus can consider getting cochlear implants to alleviate their tinnitus and regain their ability to hear. Once medically cleared, you can find significant relief from your tinnitus. Research studies have indicated an 80% success rate for Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. If your tinnitus is less serious, you may consider wearing earplugs when attending concerts, mowing the lawn or visiting a loud restaurant to prevent it from getting worse.

Tinnitus Management

There are numerous ways to manage tinnitus.

Neuromonics Device

A neuromonics device provides relaxing music and pleasing sounds at low volume to reduce tinnitus and relax the listener. You can purchase a downloadable neuromonics device that will work with your smartphone or tablet and transmit to your hearing aid.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you manage the anxiety that often comes with experiencing tinnitus.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) helps people cope with their tinnitus through the use of hearing aids combined with psychological therapy. TRT is a clinically proven treatment method that uses a structured protocol of educational counseling coupled with sound therapy.

Tinnitus Activities

Tinnitus activities  utilize meditation, yoga and mindfulness activities to alleviate the stress that tinnitus sufferers experience.

Alternative Treatments

Lastly, licensed chiropractors and physical therapists can also help alleviate tension in the neck and jaw areas that can lead to and aggravate tinnitus.

Will Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Improve the Quality of My Life?

The counseling portion of TRT will educate you about the origination theory of tinnitus and how tinnitus becomes so bothersome. You will be taught to re-categorize your tinnitus as an insignificant signal. The sound therapy portion of TRT will work toward interfering with your brain’s ability to detect and process the tinnitus signal. The main goal of TRT is for you to you experience less negative effects from your tinnitus, and the secondary goal of TRT is for you to become less aware of your tinnitus over a period of time.

Jeannie Karlovitz, Au.D., CCC-A, FAAA provides tinnitus retraining therapy.