Patients with tinnitus are often incorrectly told that there is no medical cure or treatment for their tinnitus. Although there may be no direct cure for tinnitus, it can often be successfully managed.
Tinnitus can be successfully managed to greatly improve quality of life.
We Specialize In Tinnitus Management
Anyone experiencing tinnitus should have a complete hearing evaluation by a qualified audiologist as soon as symptoms appear and do not subside.
Video: Tinnitus Management In 4 Easy Steps
Step 1: Tinnitus Assessment
The initial hearing evaluation is directed toward looking for a medically manageable cause of the tinnitus as the tinnitus may be a symptom of a more serious disorder. A referral to an otolaryngologist or your family doctor for further testing may be recommended if a medical evaluation is warranted.
Step 2: Hearing Test
A hearing test helps to rule out certain disorders and determines the management necessary.
Step 3: Fitting of Management Solution
The most common management solution for tinnitus is the use of a “masker”. A sound stimulus is programmed into a small device that looks identical to a hearing aid. The generated sounds may have a pattern that is tailored based on the sound the individual’s perceived tinnitus. Maskers are designed to be a calming and less intrusive the ringing or hissing of tinnitus.
Step 4: Fine Tuning
The stimulus sound is further customized. Using Soundpoint technology the user can actually help fine tune their settings by simply pointing on a tablet to the levels that provide the best relief.
More About Tinnitus Management
Tinnitus symptoms and management systems are unique to the individual. No two people suffer from exactly the same tinnitus symptoms. For a management system to be successful it must be flexible and easily customizable for the individuals unique tinnitus management needs.
Video: Starkey Multiflex Tinnitus Technology is Fully Customizable
“Un-Learning” Tinnitus & De-Tuning Tinnitus
Over time, a tinnitus sufferer’s brain has “learned” a unique pattern of sounds created by the auditory cortex. To provide relief it is necessary to “teach” the brain to de-tune the mechanism it used to create the tinnitus.
Types Of Tinnitus Management Solutions
Auditory Habituation (TRT) – this is a type of therapy whereby a noise is presented via a “noise generator” into the ear(s) at a low enough level that the brain perceives both the noise generated and the tinnitus. Over 6-12 months, possibly more, the tinnitus sufferers brain may learn a pattern that de-tunes the unwanted tinnitus.
Amplification – if a hearing loss is present along with the tinnitus, hearing aids can be very effective in relieving tinnitus.
Masking – the use of an external electronic device to produce sound which can cover up or mask the tinnitus can be very effective in providing relief from tinnitus. Occasionally the tinnitus can be inhibited for short and sometimes long periods of time when the masking sound is removed (residual inhibition). There are different types of maskers:
- Tinnitus masker – an electronic device somewhat like a hearing aid which produces noise to help mask the tinnitus.
- Tinnitus instrument – a combined hearing aid and masker for people who have both a hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Commercial noise generators – various types of electronic devices which produce different forms of masking sounds to provide relief from tinnitus. These are especially useful at night time when trying to get to sleep. There are many systems on the market today that are made specifically for tinnitus sufferers.
Medications – there is no single medication that works on all tinnitus patients. Certain anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications have proven successful for a small percentage of tinnitus patients. Some patients have seen success using herbal medications such as ginkgo biloba.
Alternate approaches – some tinnitus patients have reported benefit from management systems such as hypnosis, acupuncture, chiropractic management, and naturopathy.
Education is important. Suffers of tinnitus are encouraged to call with any questions about symptoms, assessment, and management of tinnitus.
Ask about our 45-day free trial offer for tinnitus management using maskers.
End The Suffering - Tinnitus Is Manageable!
Do you or someone you know suffering from the constant ringing of tinnitus? The staff at Polo Park Hearing have been successfully helping people manage their tinnitus for over two decades. For relief from the agony of tinnitus, book an appointment now by calling (204) 788-1083.
