Cures and Treatments for Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a symptom and not a disease so it cannot be cured, but it can be treated. More than 40 million Americans suffer from a severe and debilitating form of tinnitus, and according to the Oregon Health and Science University, 30 million Americans suffer from mild to moderate tinnitus.
Identification
Tinnitus is a manifestation of sounds heard by the sufferer even when there are no outside sounds present. These sounds can be heard as buzzing, clicking, roaring, whistling, ringing and hissing. Tinnitus can come and go and affect one or both ears. These sounds vary in tone, pitch and volume. The only way to get rid of tinnitus is to find out exactly what is causing it.
Causes
There are several factors that contribute to the onset of tinnitus. Age is one cause. As we age, our hearing naturally starts to fade. This is a normal part of the aging process that causes the auditory cells in the inner ear to deteriorate. This deterioration causes symptoms of tinnitus.
Ninety percent of people who suffer from tinnitus, suffer from noise induced tinnitus. Listening to music too loud, or a sudden loud sound playing in the ear suddenly, can cause ringing in the ear and over time can cause hearing loss. An excess buildup of earwax can also cause tinnitus. If this is the cause of your tinnitus, you should have your ears checked and cleaned by a physician.
Finally, there are more than 200 medications that list tinnitus as a side effect. These include antibiotics, steroids and aspirin. The American Tinnitus Association provides a complete list of drugs that cause tinnitus (see Resources for a link).
Helpful Tips
Finding out what exactly is causing the tinnitus is the best course of treatment. However, there are things that you can do to help tolerate or treat tinnitus before seeing a medical professional. Avoiding things that trigger the tinnitus, such as loud noises, stimulants (caffeine and nicotine) and alcoholic beverages, may help reduce tinnitus episodes.
Some people find help in covering the sounds of tinnitus with other sounds, such as nature sounds, music or white noise. These sounds can be played through headphones, special pillows with speakers or tinnitus maskers (hearing aid like devices).
Stress seems to make tinnitus worse, so learning tips on stress management can help greatly in reducing the symptoms. Stress management methods, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation and hypnosis, can all work to reduce tinnitus occurrences.
Alternative Treatments
Taking herbal supplements, such as Ginko Biloba, or supplemental vitamins and minerals, such as zinc and magnesium, are thought to help with tinnitus, although they are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Some therapists use acoustic therapy to treat patients with tinnitus. The sounds played in acoustic therapy are administered through hearing aid like devices or headphones. The sessions can be recorded and taken home to listen to, and some are available to order online prerecorded.
Comprehensive Therapy
This is a widely used therapy that combines aspects of acoustic therapy, stress management, talk therapy and other elements. If the condition can be medically treated, you will be given the option to take medication for it. In comprehensive therapy, this option will almost always be explored. Also you may be prescribed sleeping medications, anti-anxiety medication or hearing aids. Changes in lifestyle are also common. This includes modifications to diets, eliminating stress and cutting out stimulants.
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