Tinnitus Prevention and Treatment: Managing with Connect Hearing

Generally speaking, there isn't a universal treatment for tinnitus. How you deal with the condition depends largely on whether or not your physician can identify an underlying cause. Possible treatments might include;

Lifestyle changes

Your doctor might recommend quitting smoking, finding a relaxation technique to reduce stress, or changing your eating, sleep, and/or exercise habits. Even without a direct recommendation from your physician, we'd advise you to at least consider all of these steps. It's always a good idea to try to stay healthy. 

Medication

Medication that can stimulate circulation may occasionally be prescribed to treat cases of severe, acute tinnitus. Additionally, if it's determined that a particular medication is causing the condition, your doctor may explore alternative options with you.

Surgical intervention

If you're unlucky enough that your tinnitus stems from severe cardiovascular issues, neurological problems, or issues with your ear, you may require corrective surgery. 

Hearing aids

Many hearing aids now come with a component known as a  tinnitus noiser.  These devices compensate for the hearing loss so that the wearer can better perceive external sounds again and distract them with white noise. Sometimes, a noiser may not even be necessary—tinnitus related to hearing loss is frequently resolved simply by wearing a hearing aid. 
 

Therapy

For patients suffering from chronic tinnitus,  tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) trains the brain to gradually acclimate to—and eventually ignore—the phantom noise.  It typically achieves this through a combination of psychotherapy and sound masking techniques.  Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most frequently applied. 

White noise machines

White noise devices mask other environmental sounds via a continuous sound that contains all audible frequencies. It's been proven incredibly effective at helping manage tinnitus and its symptoms. Specialized devices aside, appliances that produce white noise include: 

• Air conditioners
• Fans
• Humidifiers
• Dehumidifiers
• Certain refrigerators
• Radio static
• Radiators

Chronic tinnitus may be debilitating and psychologically stressful, but it can be managed and overcome with the right treatments. In addition to the options described above, you can take plenty of steps to manage the condition in your day-to-day life. 

• Find a tinnitus support group. These communities can not only provide you with valuable advice for managing tinnitus, but they can also help you simply by letting you know you aren't suffering alone. 
• Endeavor for a better work/life balance, and learn to relax.
• Find activities that will keep you busy and occupy your mind, distracting you from the tinnitus symptoms. 

Interested in learning more? Check out our comprehensive tinnitus FAQ.