Commonly referred to as ringing in the ears, tinnitus affects over 45 million Americans. While some people can ignore their tinnitus most of the time, leaving it untreated can put a strain on your well-being.
Tinnitus can lead to stress, concentration problems, sleeplessness, social isolation and depression. Consulting a hearing care provider can help put you on the path for treatment.
While there is no standard procedure for the diagnosis or management of tinnitus, you can expect to cover a few basic steps in your assessment that include:
Don't be concerned by the hearing test — most people with chronic tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss, often very mild and barely noticeable. This is why a hearing test always goes hand-in-hand with the tinnitus assessment.
One of the most well-known treatment plans for tinnitus is sound therapy. By providing additional sounds for the ears to focus on, your tinnitus becomes less noticeable. The aim of this type of tinnitus management is to help you focus less on your tinnitus, and so provide you with relief.
The ultimate goal is to teach your brain to reclassify tinnitus noise as an unimportant sound that blends into the background.
Just like no two people will have the same tinnitus issues, treatment options are also vast. Your hearing care provider will find the right path for you.
