Tinnitus: Cause, Diagnosis and Treatment | HNR Speech and Hearing

Tinnitus is a condition where you experience ringing or whistling sounds which are not from an external source but from within. It is common in older adults

The sound perceived by individuals suffering from tinnitus can range a ringing to buzzing sound. It can be a slow background noise or loud enough to interfere with external sounds. These sounds are heard in one or both the ears and the pitch varies. There is a wide repertoire of sounds that are reported by the listener.

It alters the way sound is processed in the auditory cortex of the brain. A sound illusion is created in the auditory cortex resulting in tinnitus

At HNR Speech and Hearing Centre, our team of audiologists can diagnose your tinnitus and offer a lasting relief from your symptoms through various treatment options.

What causes tinnitus?

There are various factors that can cause the development of tinnitus

Hearing loss

Hearing loss could be one of the prominent reasons that triggers tinnitus but not everyone suffering from tinnitus have hearing loss.

Exposure to loud noise

Exposure to high decibels of noise can cause some degree of damage to your hearing. Repeated exposure to such loud noises over an extended time could also result in a permanent hearing loss.

Injury

Tinnitus can also stem back from an injury in the past on the head/neck region. If an injury damages the inner ear, it can cause tinnitus. Tumours in the inner ear or auditory nerve can also cause tinnitus.

Infection/disease

Sometimes even an ear infection could cause blockage in the ear and you may experience tinnitus

Side effect of medication

Certain medication can also cause a temporary condition as a side effect. Tinnitus could result as a side effect of a medication used for any other treatments. So, avoid taking non-prescribed/over the counter medication.

Stress

Emotional stress can cause difficulty in managing tinnitus and it may start to interfere with your hearing

Diagnosis

At HNR Speech and Hearing Centre, our audiologist will conduct a hearing test to diagnose tinnitus.

Hearing tests are simple. The doctor will diagnose the cause of tinnitus by just studying the results of what you can hear versus what you should be hearing in a normal condition.

Treatment for tinnitus

At HNR our professionals will treat you for any underlying medical conditions causing tinnitus.

Treatment options could include – removing excess wax from your ears or changing your prescription if a certain medication is the cause behind your tinnitus.

Additionally, we can provide masking devices that can be inserted into your ear. It acts like a hearing aid that suppresses disturbing sounds in your ear.

Wearing Hearing Aids, changing your lifestyle, reducing exposure to loud noises can lessen the severity of tinnitus

To book a consultation with our health care professional, call us: 040-42018181 / +91 8237037087