Tinnitus Management Information

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus, commonly subjective tinnitus, is experienced by millions of people worldwide. It is usually described as ringing in the ears. However, it can also sound like buzzing, wind noise, whooshing, humming, roaring, distortion, and so much more.

• Tin-NIGHT-us or TIN-it-us is Latin meaning to tinkle, or to ring a bell.

• People experience tinnitus in one or both ears, and even somewhere in their head. It can be described as ringing, hissing, roaring of a seashell, chirping of crickets, white noise, or music. It can be constant or intermittent and can fluctuate in severity from day to day, or from hour to hour.

• 50 million Americans are affected by tinnitus; 6% are incapacitated by tinnitus.

• Tinnitus does not cause hearing loss, but tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss.

• Most tinnitus patients seeking medical attention learn that there is no serious medical problem causing their tinnitus.

• Those with tinnitus may also be hypersensitive to loud sounds.

• Chronic tinnitus can be very stressful and may translate into major disruptions of one’s sleep patterns and emotional well-being. Learning how to reduce stress can be very useful in treating tinnitus.

What is Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare form of tinnitus where the noise comes from inside your body that sounds like it is in sync with your pulse. This can sound like a thumping or whooshing sound in one or both ears. Pulsatile tinnitus can also be referred to as vascular or pulse-synchronous tinnitus.

Objective Tinnitus

This type of tinnitus is also less commonly seen, this time the sound comes from an 'objective' source. This could be a mechanical defect or even a specific source. In the right conditions, an observer can hear the sound.

What Causes Tinnitus?

In general, there is an abnormal input to the Central Nervous System (CNS) from some part of the body that generates an altered amount of activity in the CNS and in this case a sound is perceived. At first, a person is aware of tinnitus because it is a new sensation and stands out from normal. Since it does not carry important information, it tends to be ignored by the brain. However, if the noise is associated with a response such as fear, annoyance, and anxiety, it is thought to carry important information triggering the body to go into ‘fight or flight’ mode. Therefore, if it is bothersome, we must retrain the body’s response to the sound. Most often tinnitus is associated with hearing loss, but it can also arise as a symptom of a disorder that may or may not be related to the ear.

Ear-Related

• Hearing Loss

• Exposure to loud noises

• Excessive Ear Wax

• Infections

• Dizziness-related disorders (Meniere’s)

• Middle Ear disorders

• Growths on the Hearing Nerve

What Makes Tinnitus Worse?

• Focusing on the tinnitus                                                                

• Dangerously Loud Noise

• Excessive use of Alcohol

• Caffeine

• Nicotine

• Medications

• Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Can You Cure Tinnitus?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for patients with tinnitus. Tinnitus is not a disease but can affect a person's quality of life. There are certainly ways to manage tinnitus in addition to determining the underlying medical condition. Working with an experienced audiologist can accurately give you a tinnitus diagnosis and determine treatment options that work for managing your symptoms.

Evaluations and Tinnitus Treatment

Tinnitus can be constant or come and go. Most audiology practices utilize their existing standard hearing test equipment to attempt to match the pitch and volume of your tinnitus. However, tinnitus is as unique as you and that is why Your Home Audiologist utilizes state-of the-art technology to accurately assess your specific tinnitus.

The technology is designed with a wide range of flexibility and an extended range of pitches that mimics the sound of your tinnitus so that an equivalent or matching tinnitus sound can be created. Dr. Srour will analyze all of the data and implement the results into a tinnitus sound therapy designed specifically for you.

Knowledge is a powerful tool! Current research suggests that individuals who successfully adapt to their tinnitus are often those who have reassurance after eliminating serious pathologies, keep busy professionally and recreationally, and regularly use a social network to give and receive support.

Hearing Loss & Tinnitus Management

An annual tinnitus assessment will be recommended in order to monitor any changes and modify treatment. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss and it is recommended to do a comprehensive hearing test exam to rule out any underlying hearing loss.

Hearing Aids

Utilizing hearing aids has been a highly effective treatment option for tinnitus. Hearing aids provide an increase in auditory signals that stimulate the brain. This signal from the hearing aid helps in decreasing the bothersome tinnitus sounds that you may experience.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a way to find relief by learning to cope with sound at a conscious and subconscious level. This type of tinnitus therapy can also help people lower their stress levels. This is often used on pulsatile tinnitus but can be used for many different types. TRT uses counseling and sound therapy that coexists with tinnitus.

Additional Treatment Options

There are many different types of tinnitus therapy options, and they will vary from patient to patient. Sound therapy, relaxation techniques, therapy, and counseling may all be beneficial for patients with tinnitus. Other types of treatment options include:

• Sound Therapies work for many people who are bothered by their tinnitus. Music, Sound Apps, Fans, and a bedside sound generator can produce a masking effect that can aid in managing tinnitus especially in sleeping and in quiet environments.

• Hearing Aids especially when hearing loss exists will keep the brain stimulated and the person to focus less on the tinnitus.

• Neuromonics is a combination of counseling and TRT. it uses music with a rhythm similar to a heart beat which is thought to help soother the limbic system. The limbic system is involved in our emotions (i.e., fear and anger) and motivations.

• Masking devices emit a “shh” sound and some instruments can be hearing aids and maskers in one.

• Music therapy is also available to tinnitus sufferers to help reduce or eliminate their symptoms.

• Drug Therapies; some have been used to help tinnitus, for example, Lipoflavinoid, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anti-anxiety, and vasodilators.

• Counseling helps patients change their negative views of tinnitus and improve their emotional state.

• Biofeedback is a relaxation process where people learn to control their physiologic reactions to tinnitus.

• Treating any causing factors (i.e., hearing loss, infections, ear cleaning for excessive ear wax, vascular or metabolic disorders, TMJ, allergies, altering medications).Do not self-experiment, talk to your physician.

• Cochlear Implants for those with hearing loss that are candidates have been known to help improve tinnitus.

• Control Stress Many people notice a reduction in the volume of their tinnitus when they are able to control their stress levels.

• Hypnosis, Acupuncture, Ear Acupressure, Cranio-sacral therapy, vitamin and herbal supplements, and naturopathic therapies, have helped some patients.

Contacting An Audiologist for Tinnitus Relief

At EarSpa and Your Home Audiologist, Dr. Srour uses state-of-the-art technology for the assessment of bothersome tinnitus. Rather than just focus on tinnitus, Dr. Srour takes a holistic approach to tinnitus treatment including doing a comprehensive hearing test to rule out any underlying hearing loss.

Tinnitus Resources & Support

• Visit the better hearing institute at www.betterhearing.org

• Visit and/or join the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) www.ATA.org

• ***Please be cautious of what you read, especially online, be sure it is backed by research.

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