How To Help Tinnitus Now – an overview of how to deal with it
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Tinnitus can be best described as noise that is heard in one or both ears. In most people this noise sounds like a ringing. However, there are individuals who report a roaring sound, hissing, buzzing or clicking. Since this noise cannot usually be heard by your doctor it is a condition that is very difficult to treat. This frustrates those who want to learn how to help tinnitus symptoms.
This condition is a common one. It is estimated that over fifty million people in the United States are affected by tinnitus. The American Tinnitus Association have studies that indicate more then 5.3 percent of the population suffers from some form of tinnitus. The National Center for Health Statistics has data that proves tinnitus is more common in men than in women. It also shows a correlation between tinnitus and advancing age. The data collected shows that 12 percent of men aged 65-74 years of age are affected.
Caucasians are more frequently affected than African Americans. There is a higher prevalence of tinnitus among individuals in the South when compared to individuals in the Northeast. A small percentage of these individuals are disabled due to the severity of their symptoms. It is important to remember that tinnitus is not actually a disease. Tinnitus could be a warning sign that something is wrong in the auditory system. Remember this as you seek ways on how to help tinnitus.
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The auditory system is made up five divisions. To better understand what could be wrong in the auditory system it is important to become familiar with the five divisions of the system and how tinnitus could occur within each section.
External Ear
This section of the auditory system is comprised of the auricle and the external ear canal. These structures are responsible for collecting sound waves and transmitting them to the eardrum. Waxy build-up, foreign bodies in the ear and outer ear infections are problems in the external ear that can produce tinnitus.
Middle Ear
This section lies between the eardrum and the inner ear. Within the middle ear there are three hearing bones. These bones are called the malleus, the incus and the stapes or sometimes they are referred to as the hammer, anvil and stirrup. The middle ear is actually connected to the back of the nose by a small channel called the Eustachian tube. This tube is responsible for maintaining equalization of pressure between the middle ear chamber and the outside atmosphere. This is why your ear pops when you yawn or change altitudes.
There are many problems that involve the middle ear that can lead to tinnitus. A few examples are middle ear infections, allergies, perforation of the ear drum or cysts or tumors of the middle ear.
Inner Ear
The inner ear is actually enclosed by dense bone. It contains fluid and tiny hair cells that lie on the surface. These hair cells generate electrical impulses when fluid waves move across them.
The loss of these hair cells can cause tinnitus. Aging, certain medications, noise exposure and genetic predisposition can cause hair cell loss.
Hearing Nerve
The hearing nerve is responsible for taking the electrical impulses that are generated by the hair cells and transmitting them to the brain. If the hearing nerve becomes damaged this could cause tinnitus.
Conditions that could damage this nerve include, compression of blood vessels, tumors, aging, infection localized around the brain or trauma.
Brain
The final part of the auditory system is the brain. Once the hearing nerve pathways reach the lower part of the brain they are divided into a complicated system that ultimately produces recognizable sound. Any deviation from normal in these sections of the brain can produce tinnitus.
The cause of tinnitus will vary from individual to individual. This is another reason why this condition can be extremely difficult to treat. Researchers have divided tinnitus into two main classes, non-pulsatile and pulsatile. Let’s take a closer look at each class of tinnitus to get a better understanding of this condition and what could cause it.
Non-Pulsatile Tinnitus
This is the most common classification of tinnitus. It can produce a variety of noises in the ear. The affected individual may hear a humming, whistling, rustling, chirping, static, roar, buzzing, hissing or ringing sound. When an individual has non-pulsatile tinnitus it indicates a problem within the hearing system of the body.
Unfortunately, the underlying causes of non-pulsatile tinnitus are not fully understood. Scientists have been unable to determine exactly what happens inside the brain to create an illusion of sound where there is no sound. Some scientists think tinnitus could be the result of neural circuits that are thrown out of balance when the part of the brain that processes sound is damaged in some way. Other scientists think that an individual can develop a regulation problem with the brain structures. This could result in an abnormal cross over in the brain with non-hearing nerves.
Pulsatile Tinnitus
This is a repetitive sound that is usually produced by a specific bodily function. Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by blood flow, muscle contraction or breathing. This type of tinnitus can sometimes be heard by the doctor if he presses a stethoscope against the neck, or if he places a tiny microphone in the ear canal.
Pulsatile tinnitus can be an indicator of a more serious problem with blood flow in the head and neck. It can also be an indicator of a brain tumor or other abnormalities in the brain.
Any individual with chronic tinnitus should be evaluated by a doctor. A hearing test and a thorough ear exam should be administered. It may be appropriate for the doctor to order a CT scan or MRI scan of the head to rule out abnormalities. Blood work should be performed to check for underlying disease or illness. The findings of these tests will determine the type of treatment that is best for the individual.
How To Help tinnitus: common treatments
Tinnitus help can come in a variety of forms. There are a few general measures the affected individual can take that may decrease the noise in the ears. Here is a list of ways on how to help tinnitus at home:
1. Get adequate amounts of sleep because fatigue can make tinnitus worse.
2. Try to avoid stress because this will have stimulated an already tense auditory system.
3. Avoid the use of nerve stimulants such as caffeine and tobacco.
4. Try to accept the noise in your head and try to ignore it as much as possible.
5. Since tinnitus is usually more noticeable after going to bed, use background noise in the bedroom to mask the sound. This could be a fan, soft music or even a CD that plays nature sounds.
6. Nasal congestion could make tinnitus more noticeable so sleep with the head elevated to promote drainage. Take a decongestant or anti-histamine to help clear nasal passages.
7. Sedatives can be used to promote sleep, but they can become addicting. These drugs should only be used as a last resort.
In addition to the tinnitus help that can be performed at home there are a few interventions the doctor may want to try on those seeking ways on how to help tinnitus:
1. Hearing aids. These can be used if an individual has hearing loss and tinnitus. When an individual is able to hear better he will be less likely to notice his tinnitus.
2. Wearable sound generators. These are small devices that fit into the ear. They emit a soft pleasant sound to mask the tinnitus. These sounds may be random tones, music or even a “shhhhhh,” sound. This way to mask the symptom should be useful for those looking for a way on how to help tinnitus.
3. Biofeedback. This type of treatment is performed by a trained psychologist. This treatment will teach the individual how to push the awareness of the tinnitus to the back of the subconscious where it is no longer noticeable.
The goal of this type of therapy is to decrease the stress and anxiety that is associated with tinnitus to help reduce the perception of the tinnitus. The only way this treatment works is if the patient is entirely committed and cooperative. This is not a quick fix for tinnitus since it will take several months before there is any improvement. Studies have shown that up to 80% of individuals will find some improvement after biofeedback and 20% of individuals have found total relief. Those seeking ways on how to help tinnitus should note that this doesn’t actually “cure” the tinnitus. It only makes it seem better.
4. Habituation Therapy. This is a technique that involves getting the brain accustomed to the noise. Once the brain adapts the noise will no longer be noticeable. A small hearing aid device that emits “white noise” is worn by the tinnitus sufferer. The patient must also attend counseling sessions to help him overcome any psychological issues that accompany tinnitus. The success of this therapy depends upon the compliance of the patient. Long term studies have shown that up to 82% of patients showed some improvement in their tinnitus symptoms. This makes this therapy noteworthy to those looking for ways on how to help tinnitus.
5. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. This is a comprehensive tinnitus help program that incorporates elements of biofeedback, habituation and masking. This type of treatment is an extensive program that is taught by a trained professional. It may take months to get rid of tinnitus with therapy, but even the most severely affected individuals are finding relief with this type of program. However, some who are researching on how to help tinnitus feel that this technique offers little more than a placebo effect.
More Tinnitus Research is Needed
The path that a hearing signal travels from the inner ear to the brain is a complicated one. There are so many things that can go wrong on this path that can lead to tinnitus. Scientists need more information to be able to better understand the exact causes of tinnitus and what type of therapeutic intervention they could use to stop it. The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders sponsored a workshop in 2009. This workshop brought together the leading tinnitus researchers to discuss options for treatment and a possible cure.
There were some great ideas that came out of this workshop. Researchers would like to examine the impact of electrical or magnetic stimulation of the brain areas that are involved in hearing. This would focus on using an implantable device to normalize the specific neural circuits that involve hearing.
Another technique that warrants further investigation is the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. A small device is placed on the scalp to generate short magnetic pulses. This can be very useful once researchers are able to pinpoint the area of the brain responsible for tinnitus. However, those seeking ways on how to help tinnitus should note that this technique is not that well studied.
Researchers are also considering looking for ways to reorganize the tonotopic map. The tonotopic map organizes neurons in the auditory cortex according to the frequency of sound to which they respond. Prior research has indicated a change in the organization of the tonotopic map after an individual has been exposed to intense noise. Researchers are looking for ways to reset the tonotopic map back to normal which could eliminate tinnitus.
For those who suffer from tinnitus it is important to remember this condition is not life threatening. It will not make you lose your hearing, and it will not kill you. The best thing you can do is accept the condition before you look for ways to get rid of it. Some individuals never find complete relief from tinnitus. However, almost all affected individuals can reduce the noise inside their head if they find a treatment plan that works for them. This is important when you are learning how to help tinnitus.
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