Why Is There No Cure for Tinnitus?

It is estimated that up to 15% of the population, which comes to about 50-million Americas, have some form of tinnitus in the US. Within that 50 million, there are 20 million who have chronic tinnitus and around two million that have extreme cases.

Tinnitus is one of the more common hearing conditions, and it is known because it has a ringing or other sounds heard internally within the ear. And although there are millions of people globally who have tinnitus, there is no cure for it.

What Is Tinnitus?

A person with tinnitus will hear noises when there are no external sounds. For example, tinnitus can be an intermittent ringing noise or a high-pitched buzzing that is constant. There is a range of noises that can be heard:

• Ringing
• Buzzing
• Swooshing
• Music
• Throbbing
• Clicking
• Whistling

The noise can vary in loudness and how often it is heard.

How Can Tinnitus Be Diagnosed?

One of the first places a person with tinnitus will go is to their regular doctor. They will examine the head, neck and ears. There might be several tests completed, as well as discussing the tinnitus with the patient.

Once these initial examinations have been completed, it will be recommended that the patient see an audiologist. The audiologist will be able to conduct further tests. These additional tests will usually involve a hearing test.

A range of sounds will be played into the ear of the patient, and they will need to indicate when they hear the sound. These results of this hearing test will be compared with a normal hearing chart for their age group. This may be used to help define the reason for the tinnitus. Often tinnitus can be a symptom of hearing loss, although it can occur alone.

During the examination, the patient may be required to move around, look in different directions, lift their arms, tilt their neck and clench and unclench their jaw. Sometimes tinnitus changes can be noticed when there is movement.

Is There a Cure for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus can be a symptom of something else. There are many things that can trigger tinnitus, including medications, health conditions, exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss.

Because tinnitus has a wide range of triggers, and there are many subtypes of tinnitus, it can be challenging to find the cause. This makes the development of a cure for tinnitus difficult. While there isn’t a cure for tinnitus, there are many methods that can be used to manage the condition.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavior therapy can be a very valuable method of managing tinnitus. A psychological approach can help to reduce the daily impact of tinnitus. CBT in the form of tinnitus retraining therapy will help the person with tinnitus to focus on the external environmental sounds and ignore the tinnitus. While this works in the day with external noises, the evening may need a different approach.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are highly recommended for people with tinnitus, as they will help to reduce some of the symptoms by restoring the hearing. Many can also be equipped with masking programs that can block the sound. Your audiologist can ensure that you get the right hearing aid with all the technology to help reduce your tinnitus.

Sound Machines

In the evening and at quieter periods in the day, tinnitus can feel louder and more invasive. A sound machine can play low-level noise like waterfalls, music and even ocean noises to help the person with tinnitus focus on something else.

There are also developments like pillowcases with speakers that can play white noise.

Triggers

Lifestyle factors can contribute to tinnitus. Caffeine and alcohol have both been shown to have an impact on tinnitus. One of the most significant factors can be stress, so working on stress management techniques can see a reduction in how tinnitus presents itself. Stress reduction is one of the things that the CBT and tinnitus retraining therapy approach will help with.

Anything that dilates the blood vessels forces the blood pressure to increase, and the flow to the inner ear can make the tinnitus worse.

Although tinnitus doesn’t have a cure, it is possible to manage it through tools, techniques, treatments, and regular checkups with your audiologist. If you have experienced tinnitus or any level of hearing issues, you can get in touch with Advanced Hearing of Brighton at 810-355-2245 and discuss your needs.