You have a buzzing in your ears and it’s not getting any better, if anything it’s getting worse. At first, you could hardly notice it. But you’ve observed how loud and persistent the tinnitus sounds have become after an entire day on the job at a construction site. These sounds can take many forms, like ringing, buzzing, or any number of sounds. You don’t know if you should contact us or how ringing in your ears could even be treated.
The origin of your tinnitus symptoms will significantly determine what approach will be right for you. But there are certain common threads that can help you get ready for your own tinnitus treatment.
There are a couple of different types of tinnitus
Tinnitus is not unusual. There can be numerous causes for the ringing (or whatever tinnitus sounds you’re hearing). That’s why tinnitus is normally split into two categories when it comes to treatment:
- Medical Tinnitus: Some tinnitus symptoms are caused by an underlying medical problem, such as an ear infection, excessive earwax, or a growth, among other ailments. Dealing with the underlying medical issue will usually be the priority of your medical professional.
- Non-Medical Tinnitus: “Non-medical” nomenclature is generally saved for tinnitus caused by hearing damage or hearing impairment. Significant, persistent, and chronic tinnitus can be the outcome of hearing damage related to long term exposure to loud noise (like at your construction site). Non-medical tinnitus is often more difficult to treat.
The kind of tinnitus you have, and the underlying cause of the hearing condition, will determine the best ways to manage those symptoms.
Treatments for medical tinnitus
If your tinnitus is caused by an underlying medical ailment, it’s likely that treating your initial illness or disorder will alleviate the ringing in your ears. Here are some treatments for medical tinnitus:
- Hydrocortisone: Certain kinds of infections will not react to antibiotics. Viral infections, for example, never respond to antibiotic treatments. In these situations, your doctor might prescribe hydrocortisone to help you manage other symptoms.
- Surgery: Doctors may decide to perform surgery to eliminate any tumor or growth that might be causing your tinnitus symptoms.
- Antibiotics: If your tinnitus is related to an ear infection (that is, a bacterial ear infection), your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Your tinnitus symptoms will most likely disappear when the infection clears up.
If your tinnitus is related to a medical issue, you’ll want to see us to get personalized treatment options.
Non-medical tinnitus treatments
The causes of non-medical tinnitus are frequently much more difficult to identify and manage than is typically the case with medical tinnitus. Non-medical tinnitus has no cure particularly if it’s caused by hearing impairment. Instead, treatment to improve quality of life by alleviating symptoms is the normal course of action.
- Hearing aids: A hearing aid can help if your tinnitus is becoming worse as your hearing worsens. When you have hearing loss everything externally becomes quieter and that can make your tinnitus noises seem louder. A hearing aid can help hide the sound of your tinnitus by amping up the volume of everything else.
- Noise-masking devices: Often called “white noise machines,” these devices are designed to provide enough sound to minimize your ability to hear the buzzing or ringing due to your tinnitus. These devices can be attenuated to generate specific sounds designed to balance out your tinnitus symptoms.
- Medications: Tinnitus is sometimes managed with experimental medication. For instance, steroids and anti-anxiety medication combinations can sometimes help reduce tinnitus symptoms. But before you make any decisions, you’ll want to talk to us.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: In some situations, you can be trained to ignore the sounds of your tinnitus. This frequently utilized method has helped lots of individuals do just that.
Find what works
In order to effectively treat your hearing problems you will probably need to explore several approaches as the exact cause of your tinnitus probably won’t be obvious. Depending on the source of your ringing or buzzing, there may not be a cure for your tinnitus. But there are various treatments available. The trick is identifying the one that works for you.