Ringing in Your Ears? You Could Have Tinnitus

Are you hearing a sound that you think might just exist inside your head? You could well be experiencing a common hearing problem called tinnitus.

It’s often also called a ‘ringing in the ears’ but it’s not always ringing; it can also be a hissing, roaring or buzzing sound. Whatever form the sound takes, it can create real disruption of your home and working life, making it tough to concentrate or hear people properly.

If this sounds familiar, it may be time to pay a visit to your Audiologist.

What causes tinnitus?

There is no single cause for tinnitus, but the most common reason is due to repeated exposure to loud noise, e.g. working on a construction site with loud machinery.

However, it can also result from head trauma, an underlying medical condition, psychological disturbance or stress, or even certain types of medication.

There are two types of tinnitus, ‘subjective’ and ‘objective’.  The subjective kind is very rare, but means that a trained Audiologist can use equipment to hear the sound too. The most common kind is objective, meaning only you can hear it.

What can be done?

Though there isn’t a full cure for tinnitus yet, there are plenty of things your Audiologist can do to help you.

There are lots of supportive devices, advice, and techniques that can be used to reduce its impact on your everyday life. If you have problems sleeping, concentrating or participating in conversations, you will almost certainly benefit from the skills of a qualified Audiologist at Big Thicket Hearing Aids & Audiology.

There are devices that will effectively mask the sound of tinnitus, allowing you to concentrate or sleep. Others are able to amplify sounds that are blocked by your tinnitus.

There are also psychological therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help people to better deal with a life with tinnitus.

So, having tinnitus does not mean you will be stuck with problems for the rest of your life. There are plenty of options we can try to see what fits you and your lifestyle best, and return you to a life where tinnitus was not your main focus.

The starting point for tinnitus treatment is a hearing test to determine how affected your hearing is and to look at the causes. Book an appointment with Big Thicket Hearing Aids & Audiology today to start the journey towards a better understanding of your condition and a higher quality of life.