What are the 3 Most Common Treatments for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is one of those conditions that everybody can experience at one time or another. We are exposed to lots of noise throughout our lives, which can cause symptoms associated with tinnitus, such as ringing or buzzing, but if you experience these symptoms regularly, you've got to make sure that you find a suitable treatment to manage these issues. 

It's important to see an experienced audiologist to get a perspective of the best ways to treat your tinnitus, and here are three of the most common approaches. 

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are fantastic devices that can promote better hearing and help with a variety of hearing issues. When it comes to tinnitus, hearing aids can help to drown out internal sounds because of the amplification units in the hearing aids. Hearing aids also come with many digital options that play sounds to alleviate discomfort and stress, which are closely associated with tinnitus. 

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)

As tinnitus becomes more researched and understood, TRT has become a very successful type of treatment. Tinnitus retraining therapy helps individuals cope with tinnitus to have a more comfortable life. The process involves three key elements:

• Getting relevant lifestyle information, including your habits and personal history to get an understanding of the reasons behind the condition. 
• Using behind-the-ear (BTE) devices to generate noise, which diverts the attention away from the internal sounds. 
• Psychological therapy and relaxation help the patient gradually ignore the tinnitus, allowing them to continue their everyday life. 

Depending on each patient, the treatment will differ. TRT is one of the most useful tools to reduce the symptoms of tinnitus. While tinnitus is classed as a hearing condition, a lot of the approaches around Tinnitus Retraining Therapy involve getting the individual to ignore the buzzing in their ear. 

Sound Machines

One of the most difficult aspects of adapting to tinnitus is maintaining a healthy sleep pattern. The constant buzzing or hissing in the ears during nighttime when everything is quiet can cause disrupted sleep patterns. Noise machines supply sounds like white noise and natural, serene tones, which encourage the REM stage of sleep. Sound machines are not just for people who experience tinnitus and are used by people who need to manage their stress, but sound machines have been known to help people with severe forms of tinnitus. 

There are a wide variety of options available. Experiencing tinnitus can cause a lot of frustration, and these are the three most common treatments. But if you want to get information on how to mask your tinnitus, your audiologist can provide you with insight. With so many options out there, you need to find the best product that suits your needs. 

Whether you need to reduce the ringing at night, you need to improve your hearing, or mask the symptoms you experience in your everyday life, your audiologist can provide you with a lot of information to get you started so you treat your tinnitus symptoms properly.