Tinnitus is a common hearing condition wherein the signals sent from ears to brain result in an unwanted activity. The patient perceives sounds that are non-audible to outsiders. It is heard as ringing, buzzing, whirring, drilling or hissing sound that is constant or may come and go. It is also recorded that the sound frequency differs from patient to patient.
This condition may overlap with other hearing conditions and cause an additional discomfort. It may impact your sleeping habits, and drift concentration from other important tasks. It is a potentially unbearable symptom which has no proper cure but can be coped with the help of therapies and hearing devices.
Sound Therapy
There are variety of factors that causes tinnitus including – loud noise, medication, aging, injury, neurological disorder. Research indicates that the brain triggers tinnitus sounds in order to substitute or compensate lost frequencies. Therefore, hearing a broader spectrum of sound can help reduce alertness of tinnitus sounds.
This phenomenon where external sound is brought in to mask or give relief from internal sounds of tinnitus is called sound therapy. The external sounds could be masking noises, white noise or your own customized sound. These sounds make the tinnitus sounds blend in with the background so your focus is shifted away from them.
Tinnitus cannot be cured completely but with the help of hearing care professionals at HNR Speech and Hearing Centre, you can find the best solution for tinnitus.
Tinnitus Maskers
Since tinnitus is deeply linked with hearing loss, opting for a hearing aid is one of the effective treatment options. Modern hearing aids come with in-built masking solutions to mask the presence of tinnitus. In addition to amplifying external sound, these devices produce noise at varying bands (both broad and narrow). These devices can be adjusted to match the frequency you need to mask your tinnitus sounds.
Some modern hearing aids also come with tinnitus filter technology that minimizes the frequency of tinntus noises. At HNR Speech and Hearing Centre, our specialists will help you find the right device and the right adjustment in your device according to your needs.
Retraining Therapy
In this therapy, you learn t o manage your condition. Your brain is trained to ignore tinnitus sounds and focus on other things happening around you. This treatment uses sound therapy and counselling to amend the way your brain perceives sound.
Firstly, our health care professional will carefully examine your tinnitus to understand the cause and triggers. A complete picture of your lifestyle will help them get a better idea of your condition. Based on this analysis, the HCP will recalibrate your brain with an integrated daily practice. You will retrain the part of the brain that interprets sound and that’s how you learn to gain control over it.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy also involves the use of devices that generate soothing sounds to help you relax. The HCP attempts to give you a psychological therapy that helps you learn to ignore the disturbing sounds.
Now-a-days, there are different sound therapy apps which are available on Smartphone. These apps provide tips and activities that can help you manage tinnitus. You can even choose and play soothing tracks on the go.
Take tinnitus test at HNR Speech and Hearing Centre to find out if you have a bother some tinnitus that may be impacting your life. To book a consultation at our centre, call us on 040-42018181 / +91 8237037087 to book your slot.
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