What to do When Tinnitus Becomes Unbearable

In the United States, 10% of adults suffer from tinnitus–the perception of sound without external stimuli–for longer than three months. The sound of tinnitus can range from buzzing, roaring, or hissing, and it may affect one or both ears equally, or one more so than the other.

There is no disease associated with tinnitus; it is a symptom of auditory system dysfunction.

Types of Tinnitus

There are two different types of tinnitus: subjective and objective. In objective tinnitus, a doctor uses a stethoscope to hear the patient’s sounds. This is a rare condition.

The other type of tinnitus, subjective tinnitus, is far more common. This occurs when the sound is only perceived by the patient and not the doctor.

There are some cases of subjective tinnitus that pulse in and out according to the heartbeat. This condition, called pulsatile tinnitus, may indicate vascular dysfunction or another problem, like a tumor, that needs to be investigated further.

Many cases of tinnitus have causes that are not identified. One cause of tinnitus that we have identified is hearing loss.

How Does Tinnitus Happen?

Tinnitus has different ways it begins, but we know it to indicate an auditory system dysfunction. It may start in the cochlea, the organ of hearing, or somewhere along the auditory nerve. When neurons in the auditory system become hypersensitive, they fire spontaneously without sound.

This sounds like a real noise to the patient who believes that the sound is coming from both ears. But it comes from somewhere between the middle ear and the brain.

There is a strong association between tinnitus and hearing loss. Still, experts do not understand the mechanism behind why auditory neurons fire incorrectly, so they cannot explain why one person might suffer from tinnitus but not another.

Tinnitus is still most often associated with hearing loss caused by excessive loud noises in the workplace or on the battlefield or by listening to loud music at loud volumes.

Tinnitus can be caused by various factors, including hearing loss related to aging, damage to the inner ear, or excessive earwax buildup resulting in infection or permanent eardrum damage.

Can Tinnitus Be Cured?

Tinnitus does not have a cure, but there are several ways to treat it. Your tinnitus won’t go away with a pill. But if it makes you anxious, you can take medication for anxiety problems.

The main recommendation for dealing with tinnitus is to see an audiologist and get fitted for a hearing aid.

Sound therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could also be helpful if the tinnitus is persistent and bothersome. CBT is a type of talk therapy that combats negative beliefs and replaces them with more positive ones.

Although tinnitus does not harm the brain or nervous system, it takes most people about one to two years to become “habituated” to the sound and eliminate it.

What if Tinnitus Is Driving Me Crazy?

For a small percentage of patients (under 10 percent), tinnitus can become debilitating and often requires additional treatment.

A tabletop sound generator, a device that can produce white noise or various nature sounds, may help occupy and distract the auditory cortex, which is often affected by tinnitus. Some find that a whirring fan is as effective as a sound generator in helping them fall asleep when they become overly conscious of their tinnitus in the night.

A person with tinnitus can also use masking apps on their smartphones to eliminate the noise at night. It is recommended to play the acoustic device six to eight hours a day.

Although every case of tinnitus is unique, many report having similar effects as a result of the condition. Some of the most common are anxiety, depression, difficulty hearing, trouble getting quality sleep, and an inability to concentrate.

It is well known that better hearing makes tinnitus less bothersome. Get checked out by an audiologist to assess your hearing, and if necessary, arrange for a fitting for a properly calibrated hearing aid.

There are several theories on how tinnitus can fade into the background through acoustic therapy. It is not fully understood how this happens, but several potential theories exist. According to one theory, background noise simply masks the tinnitus, and eventually, the patient goes unnoticed.

According to another school of thought, specific therapies can alter the arrangement of neurons. Over time, those neurons that fire spontaneously, causing the ringing sound, are subjected to less tinnitus frequency stimulation, thus reducing the amount of inappropriate firing.

Acoustic therapy might manage and reverse tinnitus given the incomplete scientific evidence and the unknown mechanisms that cause it, so it is impossible to identify any specific acoustic treatment that reverses tinnitus.

If you or a loved one are dealing with tinnitus symptoms, it is not too late to do something about it. If you live in the Las Vegas area, consider visiting Hearing Associates of Las Vegas today to find out more about you can get back on track towards healthy hearing and a better quality of life.