The Role of a Hearing Specialist in Tinnitus Management

Tinnitus is an issue that affects millions of people across the world and can have a more serious impact on quality of life than many might imagine. Rather than being a condition in and of itself, tinnitus is a symptom, which can have multiple causes and can present differently in each individual case. In general, however, it is described as the perception of a sound or noise without any perceivable source heard either in the ear or in the head. For a lot of people, it sounds like ringing in the ears, but it can also be a buzzing, hissing, whooshing, or other kinds of sound.

Tinnitus is often, but not always, associated with hearing loss. That said, a hearing specialist, such as an audiologist, can help people living with tinnitus in a range of ways. They can offer a range of insights, treatment options and tips to help better manage it. Here, we’re going to look at some of the ways hearing specialists can manage tinnitus.

Hearing Tests and Tinnitus

Audiologists are medically trained professionals, who can assess, diagnose and treat all manner of disorders relating to ear and hearing health, as well as balance health. This includes tinnitus. One of the steps they may take to do this is to perform a complete hearing test. As mentioned, tinnitus is often linked with hearing loss. If you experience one, you’re more likely to experience the other. Hearing loss has been shown to exacerbate the prominence of tinnitus, and tinnitus can do the same for hearing loss, by making it more difficult to hear.

During a hearing test, the audiologist will ask some questions about your general and hearing health, before completing a visual examination of the outer ear, to see if there are any immediately noticeable issues that could be causing or exacerbating the issues. After that, your hearing specialist will perform a hearing test, which typically involves putting you in a soundproof booth. Sound stimuli are played either through headphones or speakers, and you will be asked to respond to them when you can hear them

After the hearing test is completed, the audiologist will use the data collected from it to complete an audiogram, which is a visual representation of your range of hearing. Combined with the additional information about your tinnitus, such as medical history, medication usage and exposure to loud noise, they can diagnose hearing loss and highlight any potential underlying issues or causes.

Exploring Your Treatment Options

It is important to note that in the majority of tinnitus cases, a definitive cause is not discovered. There is no cure for all tinnitus. Sometimes, identifying and treating an underlying cause can help, but that’s not always the case. The audiologist is more likely to develop a tinnitus treatment plan personalized to you. There are various treatment options, which can include sound machines, which play a crucial role in alleviating the discomfort of tinnitus. By emitting a consistent and soothing background noise, these devices effectively mask or distract from the persistent ringing or buzzing sensations that tinnitus sufferers experience.

A lot of people also benefit from counseling and further education about tinnitus. By helping you better understand the mechanisms of tinnitus, as well as coping strategies and relaxation techniques, it may help you reduce your reception of it, while also alleviating the associated stress. Audiologists can also recommend hearing aids. Not only do these devices treat underlying hearing loss, but many people who use hearing aids also find that they can reduce how noticeable their tinnitus is, by amplifying specific frequencies. There is a theory that people can develop tinnitus as the brain makes up for frequencies that it is no longer hearing in, “filling the gap,” so to speak. Improving your ability to hear in these frequencies may diminish the tinnitus.

As mentioned, tinnitus presents in a multitude of ways, affecting a lot of people differently. What works for others may not work for you, so it can take time to find the combination of treatments that is most effective in your case. Ongoing appointments with your audiologist can help.

Get Help with Your Tinnitus Today

Untreated tinnitus can have more of a profound impact on your quality of life and well-being than you might realize. Your hearing specialist can offer all manner of strategies to help manage it, but only if you get in touch with them. Call Gavin Audiology and Hearing Aids on (914) 610-3440 to get started.