The sensation of ringing, hissing, buzzing, or whistling sound in the inner ear without any sound in the external environment is known as tinnitus. The phantom of sound may vary from low pitch to high or remain constant in some cases, it entirely depends on the severity of the condition. A person may experience tinnitus in both the ears and either of the one.
Tinnitus is not a disease, it is rather a symptom of various underlying causes. It is majorly diagnosed in people who lie above the age group of 50 years. Many times people consider tinnitus as an age-related hearing loss and do not pay much attention to it, which becomes worse with time making it difficult to live with it.
Inflammation in the inner ear or circulatory system results in causing tinnitus along with vertigo spells. If the case remains persistent for years, it may further result in permanent deafness. Age factor is one such important factor that leads to tinnitus in some patients.
Tinnitus conditions get triggered any time making it difficult to live with it. It becomes nearly impossible for a person to fall asleep in a quiet room as a silent environment triggers the symptoms thereby resulting in more stress and anxiety in patients. Whereas attending concerts or visiting places with loud sounds make symptoms unbearable thus affecting the quality of life and hampering daily chores.
People who are more prone to loud noises and work in such spheres where they have to deal with loud noises for prolonged hours are at higher risk of developing tinnitus. Seek medical help at the right time as soon as you start observing some symptoms. An expert neurologist will ask you to undergo various vertigo tests to identify the underlying cause of vertigo and tinnitus that is affecting one’s life. Once the underlying cause of vertigo and tinnitus is diagnosed he would suggest right vertigo and tinnitus treatment to alleviate the symptoms and would suggest you stop consuming nicotine and caffeine as they trigger the symptoms even further. He may even prescribe you with certain vertigo medicine like Stemetil Tablet to ease the condition so you can follow back your normal routine. But keep it in mind not to continue the vertigo medicine for prolonged periods after completion of a prescribed dose. A higher dose of certain medicines makes the condition worse and unmanageable. If the case is severe, your doctor will suggest some therapies as tinnitus treatment to reduce the loud noises in the ear for a speedy recovery.
Types of tinnitus
Tinnitus is categorized into two parts:
- Subjective Tinnitus
A large number of the population who experience tinnitus majorly suffer from subjective tinnitus. When the ringing sensation is only heard by the patient and not the other person it is known as subjective Tinnitus. An ear problem or injury in the outer, middle, or inner ear causes subjective tinnitus in patients. The inner ear consists of the vestibular nerve and cochlear nerve, inflammation in any of the nerves may even result in subjective tinnitus.
- Objective Tinnitus
Objective tinnitus is diagnosed in very rare cases. When the phantom of sounds can be heard by the patient as well as the doctor who is examining the condition it is known as objective tinnitus. A middle ear bone condition, muscle contractions, and problems in the blood vessel cause objective tinnitus.
Remedies to reduce Tinnitus
Let’s have a look at some of the most effective tinnitus treatments that help in reducing tinnitus in patients:
- Alter certain lifestyle habits
To reduce tinnitus it is advised to give up on alcohol, nicotine, and caffeinated beverages as it tends to trigger symptoms even further.
- Practice exercise regularly
Regular exercise is essential for one’s overall wellbeing. Tinnitus can further lead to stress, anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, illness, and so on by triggering the symptoms even further. Practicing exercise regularly helps in reducing the symptoms of tinnitus by managing stress and anxiety levels, allowing you to have better sleep and stay fit and healthy.
- Medications
Tinnitus is not completely cured by certain drugs or vertigo medicine, but it helps in easing the symptoms by suppressing them. Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, show some effective results in treating tinnitus by reducing the severity of the symptoms. Certain drugs are prescribed if a person is suffering from chronic tinnitus conditions as it has its own set of side effects starting from dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, and heart problems. Apart from it, Alprazolam (Xanax) can also help in reducing tinnitus symptoms.
- Hearing aids
If a person experiences loss or fluctuations in the hearing ability caused by tinnitus and symptoms do not seem to ease with a dose of certain medicines, then a doctor may advise you for wearing hearing aids in the affected ear. Hearing aids are effective in reducing the distracting sounds in the inner ear. Wear a well-fitted hearing aid to improve hearing efficiency.
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Doctors may even suggest Tinnitus Retraining Therapy as tinnitus treatment if certain vertigo medicine like Stemetil tablet and so on fails to ease the condition by alleviating tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) helps in making the sound less noticeable in the inner ear by reducing it. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is one of the most effective tinnitus treatments that help in managing tinnitus as it makes the patient accept the annoying sounds heard in the inner ear. A device is inserted in the ear in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) that produces sounds matching to the pitch of sounds a patient is experiencing. It is generally advised by doctors to continue Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) for at least a year to escalate the tinnitus symptoms completely.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is another tinnitus treatment therapy like TRT that shows significant changes in the patients suffering from tinnitus. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) makes the phantom of sounds heard in the inner ear less noticeable. It uses cognitive restructuring and relaxation that helps in changing the patient’s way of responding to tinnitus along with perception.
Treating tinnitus on time is a must to reduce it and lead a normal happy and healthy life. Seek medical help immediately as soon as you start observing any ringing sensations to prevent symptoms from getting chronic or persistent.
