Persistent ear noises, often referred to as tinnitus, can significantly impact your daily life in various ways. These sounds, ranging from ringing and buzzing to clicking or hissing, may disrupt your sleep, concentration and ability to enjoy quiet moments or engage in conversations with friends. Our dedicated hearing instrument specialists at King Hearing Center recognize the challenges posed by tinnitus and are committed to providing personalized support and guidance. Through a range of management techniques such as sound therapy and counseling, we aim to alleviate the effects of tinnitus and help you regain peace of mind and control over your hearing health.
Treating the Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus is typically a symptom of an underlying health condition. But there are many different conditions that can cause it, including:
- Hearing loss
- Aging
- Head and neck injuries
- Earwax blockages
- Meniere’s disease
- Benign tumors
- Medication
- Stress and depression
- Vascular disorders
- Exposure to loud noises
Because there are so many potential causes for tinnitus, our first step will be to figure out what’s causing yours. We do that by looking at your medical history and through examinations and testing, when necessary.
Tinnitus Treatment Options
Once we know what’s causing your tinnitus, we can create a plan to address it. There’s no full cure for tinnitus yet, but we can do a lot to reduce your symptoms so that you can continue living a normal life despite your diagnosis.
Here are three examples of how we may treat your tinnitus:
- Sound therapy: Sound therapy is also sometimes called acoustic therapy. It involves using sounds to retrain the brain so that it’s not focusing as much on your tinnitus. The resulting changes can reduce the emotional impact of your tinnitus and make it much easier for you to live a good life with tinnitus.
- Hearing aids: Hearing aids are another popular treatment option for tinnitus. They can be beneficial even if you’re not experiencing co-occurring hearing loss. This is because many modern hearing aids come equipped with tinnitus-masking features. These block out the annoying tinnitus noise so it stops impacting your life so severely.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT): Finally, we also offer TRT, which is sometimes called habituation therapy. The goal of this treatment is similar to sound therapy, in that we’ll be training the brain to perceive your tinnitus in a different, healthier way. It’s another form of care that can reduce your symptoms and help you move forward.
Your specialist will work with you based on the severity of your symptoms and frequency to determine the right relief methods.
How Can Tinnitus Impact Your Quality of Life?
Beyond physical discomfort, tinnitus can cause emotional distress, sleep disturbances and difficulties concentrating. The presence of these phantom sounds can lead to anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation, affecting relationships and overall well-being. Additionally, tinnitus may interfere with daily activities, work performance and enjoyment of leisure time, leading to frustration and reduced quality of life. Managing tinnitus often requires a multifaceted approach to reduce its effects and improve overall quality of life.