The ringing in your ear keeps getting worse. At first, you could barely notice it. But you’ve observed how loud and persistent the tinnitus noises have become after a full day on the job at a construction site. These sounds can take many forms, such as ringing, buzzing, or any number of noises. You’re considering coming in to see us, but you’re not sure: how is buzzing in the ears managed?
The origin of your tinnitus symptoms will substantially establish what treatment will be most suitable for you. But your own tinnitus therapy will share some common threads with others that can help you get ready.
What type of tinnitus are you experiencing?
Tinnitus is incredibly common. There can be a number of causes for the ringing (or whatever tinnitus sounds you’re hearing). So when it comes to treatment, tinnitus is normally split into one of two categories:
- Medical Tinnitus: Inherent medical problems, including ear infections, too much earwax, a growth, or other medical problems, can be the cause of tinnitus. Medical providers will typically attempt to treat the underlying problem as their main priority.
- Non-Medical Tinnitus: Tinnitus that is triggered by hearing damage or hearing impairment is usually referred to as “non-medical” tinnitus. Severe, 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 usually more difficult to treat.
The type of tinnitus you have, and the root cause of the hearing ailment, will establish the best ways to treat those symptoms.
Treatments for medical tinnitus
If your tinnitus is a result of a root medical ailment, it’s likely that managing your original illness or disorder will relieve the ringing in your ears. Here are a few treatments for medical tinnitus:
- Antibiotics: Your doctor might prescribe you with antibiotics if your tinnitus is related to a bacterial ear infection. Your tinnitus symptoms will probably go-away when the infection clears.
- Surgery: When your tinnitus is related to a tumor or other growth, doctors could perform surgery to remove the mass that’s causing your tinnitus, particularly if your symptoms are decreasing your quality of life.
- Hydrocortisone: Certain types of infections will not react to antibiotics. Viral infections, for example, never respond to antibiotic treatments. Hydrocortisone may be prescribed in these cases to treat other symptoms.
If your tinnitus is a result of a medical issue, you’ll want to see us to receive personalized treatment options.
Non-medical tinnitus treatments
The causes of non-medical tinnitus are frequently much more difficult to detect and manage than is typically the case with medical tinnitus. There is normally no cure for non-medical tinnitus (particularly in situations where the tinnitus is caused by hearing damage). Treatments, instead focus on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life.
- Noise-masking devices: Sometimes referred to as “white noise machines,” these devices are created to provide enough sound to decrease your ability to hear the ringing or buzzing due to your tinnitus. These devices can be tuned to generate specific sounds designed to balance out your tinnitus symptoms.
- Hearing aids: If your tinnitus turns out to be more dominant as your hearing diminishes, a hearing aid may help you manage the symptoms of both conditions. The tinnitus symptoms probably seem louder because everything else gets quieter (because of hearing loss). A hearing aid can help mask the sound of your tinnitus by amping up the volume of everything else.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: You can obtain training that will help you learn to disregard your tinnitus sounds. This commonly utilized strategy has helped many individuals do just that.
- Medications: Tinnitus is in some cases treated with experimental medication. As an example, tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be decreased by mixtures of anti-anxiety medication and steroids. But before you make any decisions, you’ll want to speak with us.
Find what works
For the majority of us, it won’t be completely clear what’s triggering our tinnitus, so it’s likely you’ll need to try several strategies in order to effectively treat your own hearing problems. Depending on the source of your buzzing or ringing, there may not be a cure for your tinnitus. But there are many treatments available. The trick is finding the one that works for you.