What to Do about Ringing in Your Ears

 

What to Do about Ringing in Your Ears.jpgIf you’ve experienced ringing in your ears, you’re not alone. Between 50-60 million Americans suffer from this symptom. This annoying background sound is an unfortunate experience that disrupts everyday life for many.

While ringing in the ears is more common than most people think, today’s changing technology offers plenty of options to treat it, with trained professionals to provide testing and answer any burning questions. If you’re experiencing ringing in your ears, here’s what you need to know.

What’s That Sound?

Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, is a sound people hear in one ear or both that can also resemble a buzzing, hissing, and roaring noise. The sound can be constant or intermittent, varying in intensity. It’s a noise that doesn’t come from its surroundings, meaning only the person who suffers from tinnitus hears the sound.

Tinnitus tends to be more common in people over 40, affecting men more than women. Although causes can vary, living or working around loud noises can result in the same symptoms. Ringing in the ears occurs with all types of hearing loss and may be a symptom of many other ear disorders. As this subjective sound has no external source, it’s unfortunately an incredible nuisance and distraction for those it affects.

Treatment Options

Managing bothersome tinnitus is best done through sound therapy and sound machines that help retrain brain pathways and nerves to reduce the ringing. Sound generating devices tend to be the most effective approach, along with additional hearing technology advancements that combat tinnitus in a new way.

Tinnitus varies on a patient-by-patient basis, so there are variety of treatment options for those who suffer from ringing in the ears. To start, those who are seeking help for tinnitus first go through a diagnostic hearing evaluation in order to establish hearing ability and possible understanding of the condition. From there, patients may undergo a tinnitus assessment for further more detailed information including extent, effect, and description of the condition.

Tinnitus has several treatment options that the doctoral-level audiologists at Associated Audiologists can provide. They include:

  • Education and Counseling
  • Sound therapy management options
  • Hearing aids
  • Neuromonics tinnitus treatment
  • Serenade tinnitus treatment system

Additionally, other options for tinnitus relief can be conducted on one’s own with easy-to-access devices. Masking devices such as music players or table-top sound generators can provide relief for patients experiencing tinnitus.

What’s more, there are some lifestyle changes that patients can implement on the recommendation of a doctoral-level audiologist. Through monitored treatment, patients can limit their noise exposure, use protection for their ears, and adopt strategies to relax and manage stress, which may result in relief from tinnitus.

Who to Call

For the best treatment options and to learn more about what’s causing the ringing in your ears, visit your local audiologist. These doctoral-level professionals can help diagnose hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms. You want to prevent this hearing problem from impacting your everyday life negatively, and an appointment with these trained experts gets you back on track.

Audiologists have the education, training, and experience to recommend the perfect solution to manage tinnitus. They’ll ask questions about your life, measure the ringing noise you experience, and provide you with better information so you can understand what’s going on in your ears.

The doctoral-level audiologists at Associated Audiologists are able to answer your questions and create a plan unique to you. If you think you’re suffering from ringing in your ears, call Associated Audiologists today.