The buzzing in your ear keeps worsening. It started off quietly enough, one of those “is it really there” kind of situations. But you’ve noticed how loud and persistent the tinnitus sounds have become after an entire day on the job at a construction site. Sometimes, it sounds like ringing or other noises. You’re considering coming in to see us, but you’re wondering: how is buzzing in the ears treated?
The management of tinnitus (that’s what that ringing is called) will differ from person to person and depend considerably on the source of your hearing issues. But your own tinnitus treatment will share some common threads with others that can help you get prepared.
What kind of tinnitus do you have?
Tinnitus is very common. The buzzing or ringing (or any number of sounds) in your ear can be caused by a variety of root issues. That’s why tinnitus is often divided into two categories when it comes to treatment:
- Medical Tinnitus: Inherent medical issues, including ear infections, excessive earwax, a growth, or other medical issues, can be the cause of tinnitus. Medical providers will typically attempt to treat the underlying problem as their main priority.
- Non-Medical Tinnitus: “Non-medical” nomenclature is usually saved for tinnitus caused by hearing damage or hearing loss. Over time, exposure to damaging noise (such as the noise at your construction site) can cause constant, severe, and chronic tinnitus. It’s normally very challenging to treat non-medical tinnitus.
The best way to treat your symptoms will be determined by the root cause of your hearing problem and the kind of tinnitus you’re experiencing.
Treating medical tinnitus
If your tinnitus is a result of an underlying medical ailment, it’s likely that managing your initial illness or disorder will alleviate the ringing in your ears. Treatments for medical tinnitus may include:
- Antibiotics: Your doctor may prescribe you with antibiotics if your tinnitus is caused by a bacterial ear infection. Your tinnitus symptoms will probably disappear when the infection clears.
- Surgery: When your tinnitus is a result of a tumor or other growth, doctors could do surgery to remove the mass that is causing your tinnitus, particularly if your symptoms are diminishing your quality of life.
- Hydrocortisone: Certain types of infections will not respond to antibiotics. For instance, antibiotics never work on viral infections. In these situations, your doctor might prescribe hydrocortisone to help you manage other symptoms.
You’ll want to schedule an appointment to come see us so we personalize a tinnitus treatment plan, especially if you’re coping with medical tinnitus.
Non-medical tinnitus treatments
In general, medical tinnitus is a lot easier to diagnose and manage than non-medical tinnitus. There is normally no cure for non-medical tinnitus (particularly in situations where the tinnitus is a result of hearing damage). Instead, treatment to improve quality of life by relieving symptoms is the normal strategy.
- Hearing aids: If your tinnitus becomes more prominent as your hearing wanes, a hearing aid may help you control the symptoms of both conditions. When you are dealing with hearing impairment everything externally becomes quieter and that can make your tinnitus sounds seem louder. A hearing aid can help hide the sound of your tinnitus by raising the volume of everything else.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy: You can get training that will help you learn to ignore your tinnitus sounds. This frequently utilized method has helped lots of individuals do just that.
- Medications: Tinnitus is in some cases managed with experimental medication. As an example, tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be reduced by mixtures of anti-anxiety medication and steroids. But before you make any decisions, you’ll want to speak with us.
- Noise-masking devices: Often referred to as “white noise machines,” these devices are designed to provide enough sound to minimize your ability to hear the ringing or buzzing brought on by your tinnitus. Specific sounds can be tuned into these devices depending on what noises your tinnitus is creating.
Find what works
For most of us, it won’t be immediately clear what’s causing our tinnitus, so it’s likely you’ll have to try multiple strategies in order to effectively treat your own hearing issues. Depending on the source of your ringing or buzzing, there might not be a cure for your tinnitus. But numerous different treatments are available that could reduce the symptoms. The trick is discovering the one that works for you.