Tinnitus: guide to treatment for ringing in the ears

Ringing in the ears : learn about your options

Tinnitus is a condition which is related to hearing loss.

However, it can have many causes, including exposure to loud noise, aging, ear infections, and injury.

Tinnitus can also be experienced as hissing, roaring, or buzzing sounds. While there is no direct cure for ringing in the ears, there are several ways that you can reduce the impact it has on your quality of life.

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What causes tinnitus?

There are many possible causes of tinnitus. The most common cause of tinnitus is damage to the sensory cells in the cochlea. This is the snail shell-like organ in the inner ear where sounds are converted into electrical signals. The ringing in your ears is the result of your brain trying to compensate for the loss of hair cells.

Damage to the hair cells here can also cause hearing loss.

Common causes of ringing in the ears include:

1. Exposure to loud noise
2. The natural aging process
3. Middle-ear infections
4. Anxiety and stress
5. Diabetes
6. Negative reactions to medicines
7. Neck or head injuries
8. Hyperacusis (intolerance to noise)
9. Earwax build-up
10. Inflamed blood vessels around the ear
11. Other untreated medical conditions such as Ménière's disease, Otitis (a middle-ear infection), etc.

 Should you take a hearing test?

Types of tinnitus

Tinnitus can generally be divided into two types of physical conditions: subjective and objective.

Subjective Tinnitus

The most common form of tinnitus is subjective. This type involves you hearing annoying whistling/buzzing/high-pitched noises that aren’t really there.

Objective Tinnitus

This type is a rarer form of this condition where your blood vessels or muscles are making noises that are loud enough for you to hear. Your doctor may be able to hear it during your hearing test.

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Sound therapy can provide relief from ringing in the ears

Although sound therapy cannot eliminate tinnitus, it can be a helpful tool for managing the symptoms. With sound therapy, you listen to different, carefully selected sounds, which can help you feel that your tinnitus is reduced or temporarily gone.

It then becomes easier to hold your attention away from your tinnitus. Plus, it helps you focus on something more pleasant. You can find the sound therapy that gives you the most effective relief from ringing in the ears by working together with your hearing care professional.

Sound therapy can be provided through:

• Tinnitus masking sound generator devices
• Apps for tinnitus relief
• Sound and sleep apps
• Hearing aids with tinnitus sound therapy features

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Tinnitus and hearing loss – do you have both?

Research shows that most people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss without being aware of it, and many of them can benefit from hearing aids.

80% of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss

Hearing aids can help transmit more sounds into the ear and brain, thereby making the symptoms of tinnitus less bothersome. Moreover, improved hearing helps you to focus on sounds other than tinnitus, and for many people, this improvement is enough to experience relief.

Sources

1. Al-Swiahb, J., & Park, S. N. (2016). Characterization of tinnitus in different age groups: A retrospective review. Noise & health, 18(83), 214–219. https://doi.org/10.4103/1463-1741.189240

2. Beck D.L. (2012) British Academy of Audiology. Podium presentation.