Tinnitus is a condition that affects hearing, regardless of age. The root cause of tinnitus is often complex, so detailed information is needed to treat it correctly. Even when tinnitus can’t be completely removed, there are methods in place to make it less of a daily distraction. Many people have gone through treatment, successfully living a normal life by managing tinnitus symptoms. This is one of the many conditions a hearing aid specialist will look for when doing a home visit. Total Hearing Care offers multiple treatment options for tinnitus, including ongoing therapy.
What Is Tinnitus?
Depending on the person, tinnitus will have a distinct sound that only that individual can hear. It is described as a constant ringing, buzzing, hissing or even whistling in the ear. Sometimes the sound is so loud that it affects concentration. People that live with tinnitus without getting treatment are often oblivious to it if they’ve had the condition for years. Dealing with it is not the same as getting treatment, and there is factual evidence that points to side effects like stress, fatigue and even insomnia.
Causes of tinnitus
Causes of tinnitus can be a collaboration of many things, or one. A full medical history is needed to get the overall picture of the cause, along with evaluations catered with that information in mind. Some causes of tinnitus are tumors, head/neck injuries, Meniere’s disease, earwax, and long-term exposure to loud noises. There are even instances of tinnitus showing up in individuals that overuse aspirin. The testing of causes is exhaustive, but at the very least a specialist will be able to rule out other serious conditions.
Treatment for tinnitus
There are two ways types of treatment for tinnitus; complete or long term. When the condition is completely dealt with, individuals won’t have to worry about it. Treatments are based on the cause, so cerumen removal would fall under the complete category. The condition is unlikely to return unless earwax builds up again, but even then it is temporary until removed. Long-term treatments focus on lessening the severity of tinnitus in day-to-day activities. The most common long-term treatments for tinnitus include hearing aids and sound therapy. A lot of these long-term treatments can be applied away from an office setting, or even at a patient’s place of work. Information gathering is the biggest part of dealing with tinnitus, so patients should be open about their past medical history.