Have you recently noticed a ringing, buzzing or whooshing noise that has no external cause? What you may be experiencing is tinnitus – and you’re not alone – nearly one in 10 Americans deal with this issue. While tinnitus can be intermittent or persistent, both forms can have negative ramifications on your quality of life. Luckily, Clarity by Kalie understands the importance of tinnitus relief, which is why we offer a variety of different solutions to help you combat the noise.
Potential Causes of Tinnitus
As mentioned, tinnitus can happen for various reasons and affects anyone of any age. Below is a comprehensive list of some of the most common causes:
- Hearing loss
- Exposure to loud noises
- Earwax buildup or blockage
- Abnormal bone growth in the ear
- Meniere’s disease
- Head or neck injuries
- Benign tumor of the cranial nerve
- Medication
- Aging
- Vascular disorders
- Stress or depression
Our audiologist will take into account your medical history and any other factors that could be contributing to your symptoms to develop a personalized treatment plan.
Available Tinnitus Treatments
Your tinnitus treatment will depend on the cause and severity of your symptoms. For temporary instances like earwax blockages, removal of the impaction will typically resolve the unwanted sounds. For more persistent cases of tinnitus, we may recommend one or more of the following options:
- Hearing aids: Because many instances of tinnitus present with untreated hearing loss, hearing aids are a common treatment method. These devices can be programmed to not only address your underlying hearing loss, but can also be equipped with tinnitus-masking features that will block out the buzzing, ringing or whooshing you are experiencing.
- Sound machines: These are often used in-tandem with other treatment because they are designed to be utilized when hearing aids don’t need to be or are not worn. You can play these machines when trying to sleep at night – or other quiet times of day – to help drown out noise caused by tinnitus.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT): In TRT, the patient is taught how to actively ignore the unwanted sounds of tinnitus. This is commonly used with traditional behavioral therapy to help balance and address any additional emotional irregularities that can present, such as stress, depression or anger.
With the proper diagnosis and treatment plan, tinnitus doesn’t have to be something that negatively impacts your life. Our audiologist at Clarity by Kalie will work with you each step of the way to find you the ideal solution to your needs.