TINNITUS CLINIC
What causes tinnitus?
Tinnitus can be caused by the following conditions:
- Exposure to loud noise
- A side effect of medication
- Ear or head injuries
- Diseases of the ear
- Ear infections
- Emotional stress
Tinnitus often occurs in conjunction with an auditory impairment, for instance after an acute loss of hearing.
Preventing and Minimizing Tinnitus
Here are the few things patients can do to aid prevent & minimize tinnitus:
- Decrease exposure to remarkably loud noise
- Avoid complete silence
- Drop sodium(salt) intake
- Monitor one’s blood pressure
- Avoid energizers such as caffeine & nicotine
- Exercise
- Reduce tiredness
- Control stress
- Educate yourself
Although there is no known cure for most kinds of tinnitus, there are many management choices available, & most tinnitus patients can find differing degrees of relief from one or the combination of the following.
Medications
No single medication works for all tinnitus patients. Some of the antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications available are helpful for individual tinnitus patients , however, more research has needed in this area.
Auditory Habituation or Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
- Acoustic Therapy
- Music Therapy
- Amplification
- Tinnitus retraining therapy
- Neuromonics Acoustic Desensitization Protocol
- Counseling or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Stress Management
- Tinnitus maskers
Other Treatment Options
Other options that may assist patients with tinnitus include:
Support Groups: Local peer assistance groups offer wholehearted support to patients & a place to discuss & share treatment methods. Dental Treatment: Jaw joint disorders, also called temporomandibular (TMD), can intensify tinnitus. Splints & exercises may alleviate these problems. Nutritional Counseling: All tinnitus patients should sustain a balanced diet.
Biofeedback: Biofeedback is a procedure of making unconscious or involuntary bodily processes detectable by the senses to handle them by conscious mental control. Biofeedback with the counseling can aid to relieve stress patterns that can exacerbate the perception of tinnitus.
Alternate Approaches: Though there is no scientific data showing apparent benefit from techniques such as hypnosis, naturopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic care & many herbal preparations, some patients do perceive the benefit.
Most recent advancements
With the significant growth in technology, scientists have discovered new aids specifically designed for tinnitus. These hearing aids have the potential to cancel out the tinnitus tones by opposing them with suitable and soothing monotones. Continuous use of these devices are proven to reduce tinnitus.