Tinnitus is no joke. For some people, it’s so loud that it causes them to lose their sense of hearing for short periods of time. Other people may only hear a constant ringing in their ears. Affected people can even hear their sense of smell distorted. Luckily, there are ways to treat your tinnitus and lead a normal life. Keep reading to learn more about the tinnitus treatment in Smithfield, NC options you have and how to stay tinnitus-free for good.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the medical term for the perception of noise where no external sound is present. It’s different from a ringing in the ears, in that it’s a sound that’s only in your head. Tinnitus can be caused by damage to the ear or nerves in the ear or may have no known cause.
Some people who have tinnitus have no other symptoms. But for others, the loud noise in their ears causes a “ringing” or “tingling” sensation in the nerves of the ear. Other people may have facial paralysis, dizziness, eye problems, insomnia, anxiety, depression, or a change in behavior.
Tinnitus Treatment: Overview
There is no cure for tinnitus right now, but researchers are looking for ways to delay or prevent the condition from worsening. Patients may need to try different tinnitus treatments until they find one that works best for them.
Tinnitus treatments fall into two categories: monaural tinnitus treatment and bilateral tinnitus treatment.
- Monaural tinnitus treatment focuses on the cause of tinnitus. Some treatments help mask the ringing in the ears with sound or play therapy.
- Bilateral tinnitus treatment is used to treat tinnitus in both ears at the same time. One or both hearing aids may also be used.
Monaural Tinnitus Treatment
Monaural tinnitus treatment uses a method called masking. This is when tinnitus treatment plays sound in the opposite ear to block out the ringing in the affected ear. Masking can be done with noise-generating devices, hearing aids, or binaural (use of two different sounds at once) therapy.
Some researchers have found that masking only temporarily helps relieve symptoms of tinnitus. But it might not be as effective at preventing further hearing loss if you have tinnitus.
Masking may not work well if you have tinnitus caused by a hearing disorder, such as hearing loss, or if your hearing loss is mild to moderate or caused by another medical condition. It may also not work well if you’re exposed to loud noises such as artillery, machinery, or music.
Bilateral Tinnitus Treatment
Bilateral tinnitus treatment uses two hearing aids at the same time. For example, one hearing aid may help with your left ear and the other with your right ear. You may use different hearing aids for each ear or the same kind of hearing aids in the same ear.
It’s important to understand that bilateral tinnitus treatment does not mean that you’re using two hearing aids at once. You’re still using one hearing aid. Only one hearing aid is being used at any one time. The other hearing aid is “paired” with the active ear.
Bilateral tinnitus treatment is meant to treat tinnitus in both ears at the same time. This is different from monaural tinnitus treatment, which focuses on the cause of tinnitus and may only be effective at masking the tinnitus.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Tinnitus retraining therapy is a new type of tinnitus treatment that uses specially designed sound programs to help ease symptoms of tinnitus. These programs are usually played through headphones.
Tinnitus retraining therapy usually comes as a package with hearing aids. The program is usually easy to follow. With it, you slowly increase the volume of the sound until you’re able to hear it without a headset. This is a very effective tinnitus treatment in Smithfield, NC option.
Tinnitus Summarization
Imagine if you could only hear one letter at a time. As you moved your head, you’d hear the letter move with you. But if you were standing still, you might not hear anything at all. This is how tinnitus works. The part of your ear where the nerves are connected is always sending nerve signals to the brain. But sometimes, the nerves are damaged, or the connections are bad. This is called tinnitus summary.
People with tinnitus may only be able to hear one or two pitches at a time. For example, they might hear a pitch that’s between 95 and 120 hertz (Hz), or a pitch between 16 and 25 decibels (dB).
Summary
With so many tinnitus treatment options out there, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. We recommend doing a little research to find out what options are available in your area. This can help you make the best choice for your tinnitus treatment needs.
It’s important to remember that every person has unique needs when it comes to tinnitus treatment. What works well for one person may not work well for another. The best thing to do is try a few different options and find the one that works best for you.