Tinnitus is a fairly common hearing condition that affects millions of people globally. It can be quite frustrating, especially if it’s the result of an acute stressor like a loud concert, gunfire, or some other type of explosive noise.
Depending on the severity, tinnitus might subside over time. In some cases, it can become a constant companion and significantly reduce your quality of life. There are treatments for tinnitus that range from medication and devices that ease hearing to therapies and lifestyle changes that reduce stress and anxiety. Let’s take a look at the top tinnitus treatment options out there today:
Understanding Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external sound is present. This can be a ringing, clicking, swooshing, or other sounds in one or both ears. Most people with tinnitus notice it when they’re in a quiet environment; others notice it only when they’re in a place with higher noise levels like on a loud subway or at a concert.
In most cases, it’s an annoyance that causes significant stress and anxiety. The sound is a result of a miscommunication between your brain and your hearing system. If you experience tinnitus, your hearing system may be overactive, which means your auditory nerves are sending signals to your brain that there’s sound when there really isn’t. Your brain can’t tell the difference between real and imagined sound, so it reacts as if the noise is real and sends out stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to increase your heart rate and make you feel jittery.
Counseling and Psychological Therapy
One of the best tinnitus treatments out there is counseling, but it’s often overlooked as a treatment option. A good therapist will work with you to understand how your tinnitus is impacting your life and what you can do to minimize the symptoms. Counseling works well for mild tinnitus that’s occurred because of stress. If you have tinnitus as a result of a traumatic experience, counseling can be a great option to help you process your experience and reduce the stress that’s triggering your tinnitus. Therapy can also help you better understand your tinnitus and how it impacts your life. You may be surprised by the number of things tinnitus is interfering with your life without you even realizing it. Sometimes it takes a therapist to help you understand the severity of the situation and what you can do about it.
Sound Therapy and Hearing Aids
Sound therapy is a tinnitus treatment that uses external sound to mask the internal sound caused by tinnitus. In most cases, sound therapists recommend tinnitus patients use a white noise sound machine in the evenings to mask the internal sound. Sound therapy can be an effective tinnitus treatment for people with mild tinnitus triggered by stress. If you have tinnitus as a result of a traumatic experience, sound therapy may not be the best option for you. Sound therapy only masks the internal sound but doesn’t address the root cause of the condition. A hearing specialist may be able to recommend an amplification device that can help you hear external sounds better while also masking the internal sound caused by tinnitus.
Electronic Masking Devices
These are similar to hearing aids in that they have an in-built sound generator that produces a sound (white noise or a sound wave pattern) to mask the internal sound caused by tinnitus. They work well if you have mild tinnitus caused by stress, but may not be the best option if you have tinnitus that’s a result of a traumatic experience, as they do not tackle the root cause of your tinnitus.
CBD Oil and Other Natural Therapies
If you want to go all-natural with your tinnitus treatment, there are a number of options out there. One of the most popular is CBD oil. CBD oil is extracted from the hemp plant and does not get you “high” like CBD oil extracted from the marijuana plant does. CBD oil is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can reduce stress and anxiety. Other natural tinnitus treatments include acupuncture and yoga. Both of these therapies are great for relaxing the mind and reducing stress and anxiety, which is a big trigger for tinnitus.
Conclusion
If you experience tinnitus, don’t panic. There are plenty of treatments available that can help ease your symptoms and make your life a lot more bearable. It’s important to understand what tinnitus is and how it impacts your body and brain so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment options. With the right treatment, you can significantly reduce (and even eliminate) your tinnitus symptoms and get back to enjoying life again. If you’re experiencing tinnitus, it’s important to talk to your doctor or experts in tinnitus treatment and see what treatments are available. Tinnitus is not a disease, nor is it a sign of aging. It can be treated, so don’t let it get you down.
