White Noise Machines. These devices do a great job of simulating the sound of everything from ocean waves, to rain, to a thunder storm, to a crackling fire to an oscillating fan to just plain old static. The result is that your brain focuses on the sounds around you instead of the ringing in your head. You can even download apps on your iPhone that do the same thing so that you can always have a noise machine with you wherever you go. The constant background noise can not only bring back nostalgic feelings of joy, if you used to site around a crackling fire on holidays with your family, but also allow you to forget about your tinnitus.
Therefore, the Department of Defense and Congress have taken an interest in furthering tinnitus research, adding it to a list of researchable conditions that impact the military. Both American Tinnitus Association and the Department of Defense fund tinnitus research. New research developments are reported in journals such as Tinnitus Today and the International Tinnitus Journal.
Diseases, illnesses and injuries. There are several medical conditions that can cause tinnitus. These include Meniere’s disease, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), head or neck injuries, brain tumors, etc. Most people don’t know if they have Meniere’s disease until properly diagnosed. This RARE disease brings on dizziness, tinnitus and ear pressure that can last for a short period of time and then disappears. TMJ causes pain in your jaw muscles. With TMJ, you’ll often hear a clicking noise when chewing. TMJ has shown to influence your chances of developing tinnitus, so be sure to treat the condition in order to reduce your chances of getting tinnitus. Head and neck injuries have also been shown to cause tinnitus, so always wear your helmet when you’re out biking and drive safely when you’re in your car.Believe it or not, but tinnitus can be caused by something as simple as an ear infection. Don’t take ear infections lightly they can be devastating at any age. Brain tumors, while equally as rare as Meniere’s disease, can also generate tinnitus symptoms. While you can alleviate your tinnitus immediately with an over the counter tinnitus treatment, you should also seek the help of a tinnitus specialist in your area to determine what the underlying cause of your tinnitus is.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT uses techniques such as cognitive restructuring and relaxation to change the way patients think about and respond to tinnitus. Patients usually keep a diary and perform "homework" to help build their coping skills. Therapy is generally short-term — for example, weekly sessions for two to six months. A 2010 review of six studies by the Cochrane Collaboration (an international group of health authorities who evaluate randomized trials) found that after CBT, the sound was no less loud, but it was significantly less bothersome, and patients' quality of life improved.
Unfortunately that means tinnitus is a very complicated condition that involves several systems of the body. The good news, though, is that as doctors and researchers have developed a better understanding of the mechanisms behind tinnitus, they’ve also been able to develop new and promising treatments that target the brain rather than the ear — and have more of a chance of actually reversing the problem.
Tinnitus affects males and females in equal numbers. It can affect individuals of any age, even children. Tinnitus, collectively, is a very common condition and estimated to affect approximately 10% of the general population. Rhythmic tinnitus occurs far less frequently than non-rhythmic tinnitus, accounting for approximately 1% of all cases of tinnitus and is considered relatively rare in the general population. The exact prevalence or incidence of rhythmic tinnitus is unknown. Rhythmic tinnitus due to pseudotumor and sinus wall anomalies is found most commonly in overweight women in their 3rd to 6th decade of life. The onset of tinnitus can be abrupt or develop slowly over time.
Tinnitus retraining therapy is a form of treatment that tries to retrain the nerve pathways associated with hearing that may allow the brain to get used to the abnormal sounds. Habituation allows the brain to ignore the tinnitus noise signal, and it allows the person to become unaware that it is present unless they specifically concentrate on the noise. This treatment involves counseling and wearing a sound generator. Audiologists and otolaryngologists often work together in offering this treatment.
Once the music package (MP3 player preloaded with assigned music tracks and headphones) was ready, participants were briefed on safe listening levels, and were instructed to complete a weekly log book to record their listening duration and frequency. The algorithms which modified the music provided to participants are built into proprietary software that was developed internally by Sound Options Tinnitus Treatments Inc. The modified and placebo music packages consisted of 4 hours of classical music.
Many drugs have been studied for treating tinnitus. For some, treatment with low doses of anti-anxiety drugs -- such as Valium or antidepressants such as Elavil -- help reduce tinnitus. The use of a steroid placed into the middle ear along with an anti-anxiety medicine called alprazolam has been shown to be effective for some people. Some small studies have shown that a hormone called misoprostol may be helpful in some cases.
There is no cure for tinnitus. However, it can be temporary or persistant, mild or severe, gradual or instant. The goal of treatment is to help you manage your perception of the sound in your head. There are many treatments available that can help reduce the perceived intensity of tinnitus, as well as its omnipresence. Tinnitus remedies may not be able to stop the perceived sound, but they can improve your quality of life.
Another way of splitting up tinnitus is into objective and subjective. Objective tinnitus can be heard by the examiner. Subjective cannot. Practically, as there is only a tiny proportion of the population with objective tinnitus, this method of categorizing tinnitus is rarely of any help. It seems to us that it should be possible to separate out tinnitus into inner ear vs everything else using some of the large array of audiologic testing available today. For example, it would seem to us that tinnitus should intrinsically "mask" sounds of the same pitch, and that this could be quantified using procedures that are "tuned" to the tinnitus.
As a hearing healthcare provider, I regularly get asked about a cure for tinnitus. Trust me, if there was one, I would be using it! I have had tinnitus for more than seven years. It makes it hard to sleep, to concentrate, to read a book. Basically, anything that is normally done in quiet became a struggle for me. (To see how tinnitus is affecting you, take our free tinnitus test.)
According to the American Tinnitus Association, most cases of tinnitus are caused by hearing loss. Occasionally though, tinnitus is caused by an irritation to the auditory system. Tinnitus can sometimes be a symptom of a problem with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If your tinnitus is caused by TMJ, then a dental procedure or realignment of your bite may alleviate the problem.
Muscular tinnitus can be caused by several degenerative diseases that affect the head and neck including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis. Myoclonus can also cause muscular tinnitus, especially palatal myoclonus, which is characterized by abnormal contractions of the muscles of the roof of the mouth. Spasms of the stapedial muscle (which attaches to the stapes bone or stirrup), which is the smallest muscle in the body, and tensor tympani muscle, both of which are located in the middle ear, have also been associated with objective tinnitus. Myoclonus or muscle spasms may be caused by an underlying disorder such as a tumor, tissue death caused by lack of oxygen (infarction), or degenerative disease, but it is most commonly a benign and self-limiting problem.
Tinnitus sufferers have tried many alternative therapies but often to no avail. Some have heard of success stories involving the use of certain vitamins, minerals, herbal preparations, or even a change in diet, but often did not experience personal success in treating tinnitus using such options. Unfortunately, no studies to date have been able to associate such treatments to any real benefits. While much of the existing research have been dedicated to helping us understand tinnitus and its etiological underpinnings, there are currently very few treatments that are clinically validated. Of the few that conducted clinical studies to evaluate the effectiveness, most did not use rigorous clinical methods such as controlling for placebo effects or double-blinding to ensure the integrity of the data and to eliminate any sources of bias. Tinnitus sufferers who access such treatments often do not experience relief from their tinnitus. As a result, tinnitus sufferers often experience confusion, frustration, a loss of hope, and skepticism after having invested time and money on available treatment options.
Tinnitus is not a disease but a symptom that can result from a number of underlying causes.[2] One of the most common causes is noise-induced hearing loss.[2] Other causes include ear infections, disease of the heart or blood vessels, Ménière's disease, brain tumors, emotional stress, exposure to certain medications, a previous head injury, and earwax.[2][4] It is more common in those with depression.[3]
An ultrasound is another test that may be used to aid in the diagnosis of tinnitus. An ultrasound uses reflected high-frequency sound waves and their echoes to create images of structures within the body. An ultrasound can reveal how blood flows within vessels, but is only useful for accessible vessels. It is not helpful for blood vessels within the skull.
CBT could potentially help people with tinnitus deal with fears that their tinnitus might be caused by brain damage or might lead to deafness. During CBT, they might learn that the condition is common and that it is not associated with brain damage or deafness. They might also be exposed to the sound in a safe environment, so that it has less of an impact on their daily life. CBT also involves techniques such as applied relaxation and mindfulness training.
The sound you hear is actually being generated by the part of your ear known as the cochlea. It’s a very complicated organ with sensory hairs, internal fluid and nerve receptors, that when damaged (or as it naturally degrades as you get older), can cause it to send incorrect input into your brain. In layman’s terms, because it’s no longer working as well as it used to, it thinks there’s a ringing sound in the area and tells your brain to generate that sound in your head. There are other symptoms of tinnitus, but this is the main one.
The sound perceived may range from a quiet background noise to one that can be heard even over loud external sounds. The specific type of tinnitus called pulsatile tinnitus is characterized by hearing the sounds of one's own pulse or muscle contractions, which is typically a result of sounds that have been created by the movement of muscles near to one's ear, or the sounds are related to blood flow of the neck or face.[10]
It is also very common for jaw opening to change the loudness or frequency of tinnitus. This is likely a variant of somatic modulation of tinnitus (see above). The sensory input from the jaw evidently interacts with hearing pathways. The muscles that open the jaw are innervated by the same nerve, the motor branch of 5, that controls the tensor tympani in the ear. In other words, changing tension in the jaw may also change muscle tension in the ear.
Demographic variables (age, sex, type of tinnitus) and baseline THI scores of placebo (n = 16) and treatment (n = 11) groups did not significantly differ from one another at the start of the study. At 3 months, participants in the treatment group reported significantly lower scores on the THI when compared to the placebo group (p < .05). The treatment group also showed an 11-point drop in THI scores when comparing baseline and 3 months (p < .05; please see Figure 2). THI scores for the placebo group comparing both time points were non-significant. Past studies have indicated that the minimum change in the THI score to be considered clinically significant is a drop of 6 to 7 points.9 As such, the results of our clinical study suggest that tinnitus and its related symptoms can produce a clinically significant reduction in tinnitus within the first 3 months using the personalized music-based therapy.
Tinnitus can be extremely frustrating and can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure about your next steps. Remember that you are not alone - tinnitus, while not well-understood, is common. Make an appointment with a hearing care professional near you, preferably one who specializes in tinnitus treatment. Be prepared to discuss your symptoms in detail so you can get relief and regain your quality of life.
Counseling helps you learn how to live with your tinnitus. Most counseling programs have an educational component to help you understand what goes on in the brain to cause tinnitus. Some counseling programs also will help you change the way you think about and react to your tinnitus. You might learn some things to do on your own to make the noise less noticeable, to help you relax during the day, or to fall asleep at night.
Hearing loss often accompanies tinnitus, so a hearing aid can hit two birds with one stone. In addition to amplifying sound, the device can camouflage the ringing in your ears by boosting other soft sounds in your environment. If you experience hearing loss in addition to your tinnitus, discuss the potential benefits of a hearing aid that may assist with both conditions at the same time.
Exposure to loud noise: Loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus today, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise from firearms, high intensity music, or other sources. Twenty-six million American adults have suffered noise-induced hearing loss, according to the NIDCD.
It is important to note that existing hearing loss is sometimes not directly observable by the patient, who may not perceive any lost frequencies. But this this does not mean that hearing damage has not been done. A trained audiologist or other hearing health professional can perform sensitive audiometric tests to precisely measure the true extent of hearing loss.
Tinnitus affects males and females in equal numbers. It can affect individuals of any age, even children. Tinnitus, collectively, is a very common condition and estimated to affect approximately 10% of the general population. Rhythmic tinnitus occurs far less frequently than non-rhythmic tinnitus, accounting for approximately 1% of all cases of tinnitus and is considered relatively rare in the general population. The exact prevalence or incidence of rhythmic tinnitus is unknown. Rhythmic tinnitus due to pseudotumor and sinus wall anomalies is found most commonly in overweight women in their 3rd to 6th decade of life. The onset of tinnitus can be abrupt or develop slowly over time.
Diseases, illnesses and injuries. There are several medical conditions that can cause tinnitus. These include Meniere’s disease, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), head or neck injuries, brain tumors, etc. Most people don’t know if they have Meniere’s disease until properly diagnosed. This RARE disease brings on dizziness, tinnitus and ear pressure that can last for a short period of time and then disappears. TMJ causes pain in your jaw muscles. With TMJ, you’ll often hear a clicking noise when chewing. TMJ has shown to influence your chances of developing tinnitus, so be sure to treat the condition in order to reduce your chances of getting tinnitus. Head and neck injuries have also been shown to cause tinnitus, so always wear your helmet when you’re out biking and drive safely when you’re in your car.Believe it or not, but tinnitus can be caused by something as simple as an ear infection. Don’t take ear infections lightly they can be devastating at any age. Brain tumors, while equally as rare as Meniere’s disease, can also generate tinnitus symptoms. While you can alleviate your tinnitus immediately with an over the counter tinnitus treatment, you should also seek the help of a tinnitus specialist in your area to determine what the underlying cause of your tinnitus is.
People with warning signs should see a doctor right away. People without warning signs in whom tinnitus recently developed should call their doctor, as should people with pulsatile tinnitus. Most people with tinnitus and no warning signs have had tinnitus for a long time. They can discuss the matter with their doctor and be seen at a mutually convenient time.
In addition to treating associated problems (such as depression or insomnia), there are several strategies that can help make tinnitus less bothersome. No single approach works for everyone, and you may need to try various combinations of techniques before you find what works for you. If you have age-related hearing loss, a hearing aid can often make tinnitus less noticeable by amplifying outside sounds.
