Is there a cure for tinnitus?

      There currently is no cure for tinnitus.  While much research is being done to try to find a one, there currently is no magic pill or surgery that will instantly cure tinnitus.  However, in many cases, tinnitus can be managed by treating the underlying cause or by altering a person’s reactions to it.  Treatment outcomes depend on a multiple of factors, such as the severity of the tinnitus, its underlying cause, how long the patient has had tinnitus and their commitment to a treatment program. 

What are my treatment options?

      There is no single treatment method that works best for every patient.  This is why an individualized treatment plan is so important.  The following treatment options may be used alone or in conjunction with each other.  Talk with your hearing health professional about what options are right for you

Sound Therapy

      For most patients, their tinnitus is most noticeable when the room they are in is very quiet.  One useful treatment option is to avoid silence by using sound therapy.  Sound therapy simply means surrounding yourself with various sounds to help make your tinnitus less noticeable and bothersome.  Various sound sources can be used, such as:

• Sound machine that makes relaxing sounds such as waves lapping against the shore, raindrops falling on leaves.  Sometimes these are combined with light music.  Often used at bedtime to help aid in falling and staying asleep. 
• Radio softly playing in your house
• Hearing aids that will increase environment sounds around you
• Wearable sound generators that produce broadband noise (hear as “Shhh”).  Devices can look like I-Pods or worn at ear level and look like a tiny hearing aid.

      The goal of sound therapy is not to have sounds so loud that they completely cover up the tinnitus.  Rather, we want the sound and the tinnitus to mix together, where the patient hears both the tinnitus and the additional sound.  This allows the brain to focus on something other than the tinnitus alone and helps to reduce the overall loudness and irritation of the tinnitus.    Sound therapy does not have to be used all the time, but typically, the more you use it, the more relief from your tinnitus you will experience. 

Hearing Aids

      Some patients with tinnitus also have a hearing loss.  Many patients report significant problems associated with not being able to hear well.  Others notice their hearing loss to a lesser extent.  In either case, hearing aids are an extremely important part of the treatment process.   Patients with hearing loss live in a quieter world than those with normal hearing, which can make their tinnitus significantly more noticeable and bothersome.  Hearing aids help amplify all the sounds around us, making the tinnitus less noticeable.  Treating the tinnitus by way of treating the hearing loss is very effective.  On a secondary note, hearing better means better communication, which reduces stress, which could reduce tinnitus.

Counseling

      Tinnitus can affect one’s emotion wellbeing, their ability to sleep, to concentrate – even to hear well.  Tinnitus counseling focuses in on what triggers your tinnitus and what strategies we can use to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with it. 

Medications

      Be wary of any “miracle” drug that claims to cure tinnitus.  According to the American Tinnitus Association, there are no medicines that have been found to cure tinnitus.  Certain medication to aid in reducing stress and in getting to sleep can be helpful.  Talk with your audiologist about your options.

Others

      Other measures to control tinnitus include making every attempt to avoid anxiety, as this will increase your tinnitus. You should attempt to obtain adequate rest and avoid overfatigue because generally patients who are tired seem to notice their tinnitus more. The use of nerve stimulants is to be avoided. Therefore, excessive amounts of caffeine and smoking should be avoided. Tinnitus will not cause you to go deaf and statistically, 50 percent of patients may express that their tinnitus with time decreases or is hardly perceptible.

How can I expect my tinnitus to change after treatment?

      Many patients begin to experience a reduction in tinnitus symptoms within several months of the start of treatment. Depending on a variety of factors, including the patient's commitment to the treatment program recommended by the audiologist, a significant reduction in symptoms can take anywhere from several months to two years.  Periodic counseling sessions and follow-up visits are part of each individual's treatment program. These sessions are important to the success of managing your tinnitus.  It is important to remember that the treatment of tinnitus is a long process with no instant or overnight cure.