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[waterwitch]

What can you do for tinnitus sufferers? Anything?

[LemmeAudiology]

Tinnitus can be the result of many different factors, e.g. side effects of medication, results of other diseases e.g thyroid problems, high blood pressure, circulation, or even something as simple as ear wax. However in many cases it is the result of damage to the outer hair cells in the inner ear.
The first step in treating tinnitus is to rule possible medical conditions and treat them if possible. If it is the result of inner ear damage then can be several options.
First, one of the primary causes of tinnitus related to inner ear damage is exposure to excessive noise. Continued noise exposure can cause further damage to hearing and an increase in the tinnitus. Do not expose yourself to noise in excess of 85 dB without using hearing protection.
Secondly, in many cases if you have a significant hearing loss along with the tinnitus, many patients benefit from the use of hearing aids which provides dual benefit, better hearing and helps cover up the tinnitus while you are wearing the aids.
We also recommend that you do not be in quiet. Always have some type of low level noise, e.g. TV, radio, etc on. At night many patients find relief by running a fan, the noise from the off station of a radio or a device which generates relaxing noises, e.g. wind, rainfall, waves on the beach.
In severe cases we refer patients for Tinnitus Retraining Therapy which has been found to be successful in approximately 80% of patients with disabling tinnitus.
A comprehensive hearing evaluation along with a complete medical history is one of the first steps to treatment. It provides us information about the status of the auditory system as well as other possible conditions that could be contributing to your tinnitus.
I hope you find this information helpful. Please feel free to call our office if you require further assistance.

Karen Lemme, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology