your hearing
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is not a type of hearing loss, but any people who suffer tinnitus also have hearing loss without knowing it. Hearing aids and sound therapy can relieve some of the effects of this symptom.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is usually described as a hissing, buzzing, whistling, roaring, or ringing sound in one or both ears that only you can hear. For some people, it has a significant impact on their everyday lives, resulting in stress, worry, rage, and interrupted sleep. Tinnitus is surprisingly common, with about one in every ten Indians suffering from it. We can help you regulate and manage your tinnitus symptoms.
The severity and regularity differ for each individual who suffers from tinnitus. The symptoms of tinnitus vary from one person to another, ranging from temporary to persistent, mildly irritating, or very disturbing. About 80% of people with tinnitus may also have some degree of hearing loss without being aware of it. Unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus; however, there is a form of relief for those who are affected by tinnitus. Our hearing healthcare professionals are here to help and can recommend different techniques to help relieve this nuisance.
- Causes of tinnitus
- How to relieve tinnitus
- Sound therapy
Causes of tinnitus
Between 20-30% of the India population suffer from some form of tinnitus. Tinnitus is commonly a symptom of an auditory or sensory fault in the hearing system usually caused by a stressful event. There are a variety of potential tinnitus causes, including:
- Exposure to extreme loud noise
- Tinnitus may be a side-effect of some medications
- High stress levels and lack of sleep combined may increase the severity of tinnitus.
- Caffeine and alcohol may set off tinnitus.
- Smoking may cause tinnitus as there is a restriction of blood flow through to the ear canal and limited supply of oxygen
- Head or neck injuries
- Ear conditions or infections
How to relieve tinnitus
Although there is no tinnitus cure, there are a variety of ways you can help manage and take control of tinnitus, reducing the impact this may have on your life. As the severity and symptoms vary from one person to another, it is essential that treatments to assist in managing tinnitus are personalised to your hearing needs.
Sound therapy
Sound therapy can be a helpful tool for managing the symptoms of tinnitus. Listening to different and carefully selected sounds, may help you feel as though your tinnitus is reduced or temporarily gone. Our expert clinicians can assist you in customising hearing aids and sound therapy to your needs and preferences. A tinnitus sound app may also be downloaded from the app store and you can get relieving sounds when you need them. We can help find the sound therapy that gives you the most effective relief.
Hearing aids and technology for tinnitus
We customize hearing aids and sound therapy exactly
to your needs and preferences.
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Latest Hearing Aids
Our latest hearing aid, provides a variety of relief sounds for those who experience some form of tinnitus.
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Tinnitus sound app
Get relieving sounds right when you need them. Download on the App Store or get it at Google Play.
Tinnitus FAQs
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus refers to any sound heard in the head or ears for which there is no corresponding outside sound. Most tinnitus is reported as sounding like ringing, whistling, humming, cicadas, buzzing, static or the ocean. In most cases, tinnitus is reported as sounding like it is in both ears and the main cause is noise exposure. Tinnitus can cause anxiety and sleep disturbance however the good news is tinnitus can be treated and relieved.
What is medical management?
Medical management consists of making a diagnosis as to the cause and providing an explanation to the patient. It involves taking a history of noise exposure, previous ear problems, head trauma, illness and drugs used in the past.An examination of the head, neck and ears and an accurate audiogram is also conducted. If an unexplainable asymmetrical hearing loss is found, a Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan to exclude an acoustic neuroma may be required.
What to expect at a tinnitus assessment?
A tinnitus assessment will take 90 minutes, your clinician will start by asking you questions about your medical and hearing history, which is commonly known as case history.Sample questions are as follows:
- For how long and what have you noti ced difficulty with your hearing?
- Have you experienced hearing difficulty gradually or suddenly?
- Do you have a history of ear infections/ surgeries?
- Do you hear ringing, buzzing or humming in your ears?
- Is there a family history of hearing loss
Next, your clinician will conduct a test or series of test toassess,such as:
- Loudness tinnitus pitch
- Loudness and sound tolerance test
Finally, the clinician will discuss your assessment results with you and also help you to understand why tinnitus became a problem and how it can be treated. If your clinician detects any sign of an underlying medical condition, they will prepare a hearing test report explaining the results to your GP for further clinical assessments.
How can tinnitus be treated?
Tinnitus can be treated with a neurophysiological mode, called Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT).This involves:
- An extensive audiological evaluation
- Counselling sessions
- The use of external sound
- The use of sound devices may also be employed
What is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)?
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is a process of retraining the subconscious parts of the brain to ignore the sound of tinnitus. The ultimate goal of retraining therapy is to achieve a state in which you are not aware of your tinnitus.
Will hearing aids help with my tinnitus
If you have hearing loss, there is a good chance that a pair of hearing aids will benefit your tinnitus and help you hear again. Request an appointment to get a check-up to determine if you will be benefit from using hearing aids.
Think you might have tinnitus?
A clinical assessment is recommended for those who experience the symptoms of tinnitus. Our hearing healthcare professionals can help recommend different techniques, sound therapies, hearing aids and counselling that can help you manage and relieve this nuisance.