There are many variations of hearing loss that I see patients deal with daily. Everyone has their own journey to treating it and living with it.
Ringing in the ears is one of the more severe afflictions, but with proper care and a great team of professionals behind you, living with this condition can be managed.
Referred to as tinnitus, it causes the patient to hear a ringing sound or something similar either constantly or sporadically. It’s a sound only the patient can hear.
While there is no cure for this, we have great experience helping patients manage it and lead the lifestyle they want. Let’s take a closer look at some of the questions I face regarding tinnitus.
Why Do My Ears Ring?
Ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus, has many possible causes, but the most common cause is hearing loss and damage to the inner ear.
There is no cure for tinnitus, and nothing will make it go away completely. But, hearing aids are very effective in masking tinnitus and reducing the frequency and severity of it.
In cases where hearing loss is also present, amplification alone can often reduce the bothersome nature of tinnitus. Tinnitus maskers, tinnitus apps, vitamins, and cognitive behavior therapy can also be very effective in helping a person manage their tinnitus.
Symptoms Of Tinnitus
You may have tinnitus if you experience any of the following symptoms. If you have any of these symptoms, then we recommend you schedule a comprehensive hearing assessment as soon as possible.
Early detection is the best course of action to treat tinnitus and to prevent it from getting worse.
- Hearing sounds such as ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing, humming, or roaring. Only you can hear these sounds.
- Changing sounds from one ear to the other. You may hear different sounds or different pitches from each ear.
- Varying sounds come and go without any discernible pattern. Some days may be worse than others.
- Feeling uncomfortable and uneasy due to the sounds. With tinnitus, you may experience some mental discomfort as these sounds can be very inconvenient.
- Interfering with normal sounds is also a sign of tinnitus. The sounds you hear may drown out the actual sounds that you are trying to hear.
- Various cognitive problems such as difficulty thinking clearly or getting confused easily.
- Speech problems. An inability to express yourself normally.
Other Causes Of Tinnitus
Other causes include:
- Buildup of inner earwax
- Ear infections
- Vestibular disorders
- Exposure to loud noises
- Meniere’s disease
- Low thyroid function
- Allergies
There are also over 250 medications that list tinnitus as a possible side effect as well.
One of the most common causes is inflammation or poor circulation within the inner ear. A small amount of inflammation is usually a good thing. Your body uses inflammation to protect and heal you. However, if your body is in a constant state of inflammation, then that’s where the problems arise.
If inflammation is the cause of your tinnitus, then it may be a sign that other areas of your health are in decline as well. The good news is that inflammation can be reversed with proper treatment.
What Are Some Treatment Options For Tinnitus?
The best way to treat your tinnitus is to partner with an audiologist. At the House of Hearing, we have the expertise and knowledge to get your hearing back to a place where you can enjoy your life again.
We start with a comprehensive hearing assessment to see what kind of tinnitus you have.
If your tinnitus is inflammatory, then the best way to remedy that is by changing your diet. Eating foods such as citrus and berries, grass-fed meats, turmeric, ginger, green tea, and non-starchy vegetables are all proven to reduce inflammation.
If your issue is more serious, we will outfit you with a hearing aid specifically addressing it.
Nowadays, hearing aids are far more advanced than the ones your parents used. We can program them to address particular problems that only you may have.
If your tinnitus is causing a one-note sound, we program the hearing aid to emit a sound that is the same to drown that sound out. This gives your brain a chance to focus on the sounds you want to hear.
What Is The First Step To Addressing My Tinnitus?
If you suspect that you or a loved one may be exhibiting any of these symptoms, then please contact us as soon as you can.
Our team is standing by and ready to help get your hearing back to a healthy state.
You can also schedule your hearing assessment right here.
We are always available to answer your questions over the phone in a friendly setting. Your hearing is vital to us, and we want to make sure that you and everyone in Utah is taken care of professionally.
