How to Treat Tinnitus or Ringing in Ears

Tinnitus is a condition in which a person experiences "ringing" sounds in the ear. The condition can be a temporary experience, or in some people, a chronic condition that causes significant decrease in the quality of their lives. By definition, tinnitus is an auditory perception that is not produced by an external sound. People have described the ringing sound as buzzing, whistling, clicking, or more commonly, a continuous high-pitched ringing inside the ear or head. The condition can affect only one ear or both ears, and it can come on suddenly (for example, a brain or head trauma or injury) or gradually as part of senility.

The cause of tinnitus is still uncertain, but there are many factors that predispose a person to getting this condition, for example: certain drugs like large-dose aspirin, certain anti-hypertensives, constant exposure to loud noise, impacted ears and congestion. Since tinnitus is a symptom associated with various disorders, management of the condition involves several treatment options including counseling.

In this article I will help you to find some coping strategies and ways to treat tinnitus.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hearing Aids
• Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
• Biofeedback
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Medications Tinnitus masker
• Counseling

1. Have a hearing test in order for your doctor or other healthcare provider to accurately assess your condition and to evaluate the various factors that might be the root cause of the tinnitus. A hearing aid can work to mask the background noise from the tinnitus and help you to not focus on it.

2. Look into a Tinnitus Retraining Program, which utilizes a sound therapy and direct counseling in order to de-emphasize the tinnitus and create habituation and acceptance.

3. Consider a Tinnitus Masker, another treatment option in which you are given a hearing aid that produces a selective band of noise that you should perceive to be a more pleasant sound than the tinnitus.

4. Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is used to shift the negative attention and thoughts into positive ones. A team of professionals including licensed, trained doctors and social workers work in conjuction with the therapist to manage your stress and anxiety.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid certain foods or beverages that have been shown to decrease the quality of life, for example, excessive alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
• This is not a subsitute for seeking help from your own healthcare provider or doctor.

Resources

• Jewell TV
• Jewell Productions
• National Institutes of Health
• Hear USA

[007bobbyj]

on 12/4/2009 I've had this for over 25 years and when I tried to describe it on the onset, I received strange looks, even from the medical community. I've learned to live with it over the years by mentally ignoring it. Now that it is being discussed in the media and community I am now noticing that I am now more aware of the noise than before. Thanks for the insight. I aapreciate your time to explain this to the community (and me).

[patmcaudel]

on 10/12/2009 thank you for the information on tinnitus. i do appreciate it

[mgmt85]

on 6/18/2009 Great informative article. Keep up the great work. 5 stars *****