If you are suffering from tinnitus, hyperacusis, misophonia, or other common hearing afflictions, visiting an experienced audiologist at a local hearing center will be your best recourse. Audiologists are trained to identify these issues and many have chosen to specialize in treating these symptoms.
You might wonder if an ENT can help you, since “ears” seem to be the problem; and they are ear doctors. However, the first call should be to an audiologist. Audiologists specialize in hearing and balance disorders. While tinnitus doesn't affect your balance, it is most commonly a symptom of hearing loss.
A visit to an audiologist can help you to start addressing the problem, enabling you to find a treatment for tinnitus that works for you. An audiologist can do several things to help you, including finding the cause of your tinnitus and suggesting a number of possible treatments.
After you've been diagnosed with tinnitus, you may need to see an ear, nose and throat doctor (otolaryngologist). You may also need to work with a hearing expert (audiologist).
While it has no clear cure or cause, it affects millions of people in the world on some level and can be challenging to cope with. Thankfully, it's entirely possible to live a normal life even with tinnitus.
Never let any condition go untreated: even something as simple as an ear infection may lead to serious tinnitus and hearing problems. Untreated tinnitus can be incredibly dangerous to your overall wellbeing. Left without treatment, tinnitus can lead to depression, anxiety and social isolation.
Tinnitus does not have to dramatically affect your quality of life. Try to avoid focusing too much attention on your tinnitus and take steps to manage the condition. Avoid excessive noise, and find relaxation and stress management techniques that work for you.
Tinnitus is usually caused by an underlying condition, such as age-related hearing loss, an ear injury or a problem with the circulatory system.
There is no cure for tinnitus. However, treating an underlying cause (such as vitamin B12 deficiency) may help relieve tinnitus symptoms. Other possible treatment options include: Acoustic therapy or sound therapy.
For some people, tinnitus may be temporary. A person may experience tinnitus as a symptom of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL occurs due to long-term exposure to a noisy environment. A person's NIHL symptoms can go away after leaving the noisy environment.
The non-invasive device, called Lenire, is now available in the U.S. The device, manufactured by Neuromod Devices, is the first-of-its-kind device granted approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat tinnitus in the U.S. market.
What does the research say? Serum magnesium levels are lower in people with tinnitus than the general population[3]. Increased susceptibility to noise damage, ototoxicity and auditory hyperexcitability have also been linked to magnesium deficiency[4].
Many studies have reported that poor cognitive performance was associated with tinnitus. However, unlike hearing loss, which has been reported to be an independent risk factor for dementia, the link between tinnitus and cognitive impairment remains unclear [1].
Even though tinnitus is often benign, there are some specific symptoms that should alert people to seek medical evaluation: pulsatile tinnitus of any kind. tinnitus in one ear only. bothersome tinnitus that cannot be ignored.
You should see your GP if you continually or regularly hear sounds such as buzzing, ringing or humming in your ears. They can examine your ears to see if the problem might be caused by a condition they could easily treat, such as an ear infection or earwax build-up.
Does tinnitus cause hearing loss? No, tinnitus does not cause hearing loss, but tinnitus and hearing loss often occur together. Both can be caused by noise exposure. Many people with tinnitus also have a hearing loss, but often they are not aware that they also have a (mild) hearing loss.
And, based on the research, a deficiency of vitamin B12, in particular, could increase your potential for developing tinnitus.
Research has shown that most tinnitus sufferers are deficient in vitamin B12. This nutrient can be found in dairy products, meat, and eggs, but it makes more sense to choose a supplement of 1,000mcg strength and take two daily for an accurate therapeutic dose.
Recent studies show that a person's experience with tinnitus originates with the brain, not the ears. One study from the University of Illinois found that sounds are processed differently in the brains of those with tinnitus than those without it.
When we are stressed for long periods of time, we can become imbalanced or out of equilibrium causing our tinnitus to seem louder on some days more than others. Typical stressful situations might include life-changing events like a bereavement or losing a job.
Tinnitus can be very disruptive to your daily life, resulting in stress, a lack of focus, and an inability to connect with people. However, there are things you can do to help manage your tinnitus symptoms. Try to avoid triggers and complete silence, as they can exacerbate your symptoms.
Anything you eat, drink, or do, that upsets the fluid level in the body can upset the fluid level in the ear and cause tinnitus. Keeping a moderate intake of caffeine, salt, and alcohol. Reducing your use of tobacco. And staying hydrated by drinking water will help reduce the impact of tinnitus.