Triggers and Solutions for Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a common symptom of an underlying condition wherein the individual affected can hear a high-pitched ringing noise. Sometimes described as a clicking or buzzing noise, the noise is not coming from an external source. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, roughly 10% of the US adult population – over 25-million Americans – experience some form of tinnitus.

What are the Triggers of Tinnitus?

Are you experiencing tinnitus, and don’t know what is causing it? There are many potential causes or triggers for tinnitus, including:

• • Prolonged exposure to loud noises, such as in the workplace.
  • Chronic conditions, such as Meniere’s disease.
  • Hearing loss, more specifically age-related hearing loss.
  • Earwax build-up or middle ear infections.
  • Neurological or vascular diseases.

Medication side-effects.

If you’ve noticed any of the symptoms of tinnitus or have been exposed to the above triggers, it may be worthwhile to reach out to an audiologist to discuss your options moving forward.

How Can Tinnitus Be Treated?

While there’s extensive research into tinnitus, there is currently no cure for tinnitus. However, there are many treatment options available that can lessen the severity of the symptoms. Talk with your audiologist about the different forms of treatment and which will be best for you.

Hearing Aids

Many of those experiencing tinnitus find relief through using hearing aids with built-in masking features. This is because by amplifying external sounds, they can draw focus away from the ringing, which, as mentioned above, is an internal noise. Beyond this, hearing aids are also worn to prevent further hearing loss, which means they can bring multiple benefits to the wearer.

Sound Machines

Sound machines, such as white noise machines, are also used in the treatment of tinnitus and related hearing health issues. Much like hearing aids with masking features, they work by creating a distraction or drowning out internal noise. By using sound machines, it will be able to play a constant sound, reducing the noise of your tinnitus.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)

Tinnitus retraining therapy is an interventive technique designed to help individuals with tinnitus learn to cope with the symptom. It is built upon the idea of helping people to ignore the noise so that it is no longer something that they consciously pick up on. In addition to utilizing hearing aids and noise machines, talking therapy is also used to achieve this goal.

Lifestyle Modifications

Certain lifestyle modifications can also reduce the severity of tinnitus, especially if they help individuals avoid potential triggers. For example, if tinnitus is linked to exposure to loud noises, avoiding these environments or wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment can be an effective treatment measure. Alternatively, if the tinnitus is a side-effect of medication, switching to a different medication could be useful.

If tinnitus is caused by a build-up of wax, then wax removal is another straightforward solution that may instantly reduce some of the symptoms. Other lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking or reducing alcohol intake have also been shown to lessen the severity of tinnitus. Talk with your audiologist about your symptoms, they will find the best solution for you.