WHAT IS TINNITUS ?
Tinnitus is when a person experience ringing sound or noises in one or both of your ears. Patient may experience sounds buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing &humming.
Tinnitus is a common problem and it affects about 15% to 20% of people ,especially common in older adults.
SUBJECTIVE TINNITUS
Tinnitus which only a person can hear it in one or both ears. The noises of tinnitus may vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal.
OBJECTIVE TINNITUS
In rare situation tinnitus can occur as a rhythmic pulse or whooshing sound (like your heartbeat) . If a person experience this kind of sounds or noise and your nearby people / members able to hear your tinnitus need objective tinnitus evaluation.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF TINNITUS?
Usually tinnitus is a manifestation of some ear pathology.
Common causes of tinnitus
- Hearing Loss
- Ear infection
- Head and Neck Injuries
- Ear Infection
- Meniere’s disease
- Eustachian tube dysfunction
- Ear bone dehiscence
- Acoustic neuroma or Head and neck tumors
- Other chronic conditions -Diabetes, Thyroid problem, Migraine & Autoimmune disorders
COMPLICATIONS WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE TINNITUS
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- Fatigue & Headaches
- Stress & Depression
- Sleep problems
- Memory problems
- Anxiety & irritability
WHEN TO REACH DOCTOR ?
If you have tinnitus and it disturbs your daily living and activities you van consult Ear Nose Throat doctor(ENT).
WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO IDENTIFY TINNITUS?
Subjective Evaluation
- Tinnitus questionnaires-Test to measure the tinnitus burden towards a person in daily life activity.
Objective Evaluation
- Audiological test- Pure Tone Audiometry( To check the persons/people hearing sensitivity across multiple frequency and volumes)
- Tinnitus Matching- It helps to identify an individual’s specific perception of tinnitus .The health professional(Audiologist) may adjust and match the pitch , loudness and layer multiple sounds to create an exact sound the person was experiencing.
- Imaging test & Lab test
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS ?
Treatment for tinnitus depends on treating the underlying health condition. It is not a life threatening condition.
- Ear wax removal
- Hearing aid
- Medications
- Sleep counselling
- Relaxation training
Treatment devices that can help to make your symptoms less.
- White noise machines
- Masker devices
Behavioral treatment options
It aim to help you live with tinnitus by reducing the symptoms a person undergone /feel.
TINNITUS RETRAINING THERAPY (TRT)
It is an individualized program that is usually done by an audiologist or at a tinnitus treatment center. TRT combines sound masking and counseling from a trained professional. According to the evaluation a person with tinnitus problem wear a suitable device in an affected ear that helps to mask the symptoms and also in parallel receive counselling from the professionals. TRT may help to notice tinnitus less and feel less anxiety from your symptoms.
Other form of counselling can be given by the licensed health care professional/psychologist through some alternate techniques to reduce the tinnitus symptoms along with stress , anxiety facing during daily life.