When it comes to hearing conditions, one of the most common is tinnitus. However, many people do not know much about this common hearing condition. If you are concerned you might have tinnitus or just want to be informed about the condition and its treatments, get to know some of the important facts about tinnitus. Then, you can be sure to see an audiologist as soon as possible if you ever suspect you have the condition.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is most often described as a condition that causes ringing in the ears. However, people can also hear buzzing, chirping, or other noises when there is actually no noise occurring outside of the body. In other words, it is hearing sounds that aren't really there.
What Causes Tinnitus?
There are numerous causes to tinnitus, though oftentimes the exact reasons that a person has developed the condition are largely unknown. Loud noise is one of the most common causes of tinnitus. People who work in loud environments, musicians, or people who go to a lot of concerts and do not protect their ears are all susceptible to developing tinnitus.
Tinnitus may also be causes by age, stress, certain medications, earwax buildup, smoking, high blood pressure, and more.
What Are the Treatments for Tinnitus?
The treatment options for tinnitus are as wide and varied as the causes themselves. If, for example, a buildup of earwax is the cause of tinnitus, the earwax will be removed. A person may also be given ear drops to help remove more of the wax or prevent future buildups.
High blood pressure can be treated with medication or lifestyle changes. A person could be told to quit smoking or have their medications changed if either of these are the potential cause of their tinnitus.
However, if loud noises, stress, or age are the causes of tinnitus, the treatments will be different. Hearing aids can sometimes help to eradicate the sounds you hear from tinnitus. Additionally, white noise machines can help. There are also masking devices that look much like hearing aids but work to cancel out the sounds heard from tinnitus through producing a certain pitch of white noise in the ears.
Therapies to essentially teach a person to cope with the condition are also an option. The idea is to get you used to your tinnitus so that it no longer bothers you or occupies your mind.
With these facts and the available tinnitus treatments in mind, you can be sure to schedule an appointment with an audiologist if you are having any symptoms of tinnitus.
