Diagnosing Tinnitus
Do you have an occasion or contact sense of:
- ringing
- buzzing
- whistling
- humming
- clicking
- hissing in your ears?
This condition is called tinnitus – and you don’t have to live with it.
If you’d like more information on tinnitus, please contact us today.
Tinnitus is typically caused by hearing loss, noise exposure or medication (over 200 different kinds, including aspirin).
Treating Tinnitus
There are several ways to treat tinnitus:
Hearing aids
Hearing aids can partially mask tinnitus and can enhance hearing at the same time. Sound therapy with hearing aids exercises the auditory portion of the brain and creates stimulation in areas with hearing loss. There are also hearing aids available that feature tinnitus and relaxation programmes, incorporating peaceful background sounds for tinnitus sufferers.
Counselling
The use of hearing aids and sound therapy to treat tinnitus must be accompanied by education, counselling and stress management. We at Tami Mehl Audiology find it beneficial to include professionals from other disciplines.
Unpacking hyperacusis
Often tinnitus is associated with hyperacusis, an increased or over-sensitivity to sound. This condition is characterised by abnormal discomfort in response to sounds that are tolerable for those with normal hearing.
Although hyperacusis may follow a blow to the head or exposure to loud noise, for many people its onset is baffling because it occurs independently of other identifiable disorders. Having said that, hyperacusis is a recognised symptom of several conditions and is sometimes associated with:
- noise trauma
- head injury
- reactions to drugs
- viruses
- allergic reactions
- auto-immune disorders
- chronic ear infections
- hearing loss
- brain injury
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- migraines
- some types of depression
- vitamin B6 deficiency
- Tay-sach’s Disease
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- neurological disorders
- autism