Maybe your tinnitus has recently developed following an incident or maybe you've had it for some time and are now used to it. Sometimes it also comes on gentle as you get older and your brain starts to atrophy. Regardless of how it developed, a low frequency buzzing in your ear can be annoying and limiting in your life.

Thankfully there are several ways you can handle the symptoms of tinnitus, and not all of them require a hearing device. You can also treat the issue with certain therapies and medications. Below you will find some of the most common and effective ways to combat tinnitus and improve your life quality.

Hearing aids

You might experience tinnitus for a variety of reasons. It might be following a loud event that leaves a ringing in the ears or it could be due to a deterioration in the ears due to age. When you start to lose your hearing, your brain undergoes changes to the way it processes sound which may require a hearing device to resolve.

Hearing aids are actually fairly effective at reducing the symptoms of tinnitus. They eliminate background noise that contributes to the issue and improves your hearing capacity. Most people who experience tinnitus and treat it with a hearing device report a significant improvement.

Hearing aids can also be beneficial in treating tinnitus by being equipped with sound masking features. These features will help drown out the tinnitus sounds, allowing you to relax during your day-to-day activities.

Sound masking devices

Sound Masking as a response to tinnitus refers to a method of using a device to drown out the sound of low frequency buzzing. The device is external. It can be a tabletop device or an external ear device. This device sends out sounds or music that blanket or mask the tinnitus buzzing.

Many people like this method, especially if the tinnitus is temporary which it generally is if it results from exposure to loud noises and is not age related. You can choose between white noise, pink noise, nature noises, music and other ambient sounds to provide you with some temporary relief.

Modified sound machines

Although sound machines prove even time in combating the effects of tinnitus noise, the impact of the sound device will depend on the sounds the machines produce and how accurately they are attuned to your particular tinnitus. If you get a customized solution, you might achieve better and more long lasting results.

Most regular sound machines operate externally but customized ones are internal. They are optimized to your particular tinnitus frequency to effectively treat the noise. Studies show that treating tinnitus in this way has lasting long term benefits after your device has been turned off.

Behavioral Therapy

Tinnitus is not only a hearing issue, but there are also surrounding issues that contribute to it and exacerbate it. It found, for instance, that those with tinnitus also experience depression, anxiety and insomnia. Often one issue compounds the other and a holistic approach is needed. That one reason cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) therapy is recommended.

It is a model that integrates your thoughts, feelings and behavior holistically. One aspect affects the other. Changing your thoughts affects how you feel and changing your behavior can affect your thoughts. Using these processes you can help reduce your symptoms of tinnitus.

Progressive tinnitus management

Progressive tinnitus management (PTM) was brought in to serve those who experience tinnitus by virtue of working in the military. Often loud noises associated with weapons and blasts can leave a long-term ringing in the ears that isn't easy to solve. PTM is a therapeutic program that gets results.

The PMT approach uses a step-by-step tinnitus workbook and educational materials to alleviate the symptoms of harmful tinnitus. If you're a veteran you will be eligible for free treatment through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but you can still benefit from the method if you aren't by contacting the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR).

Getting the help you need

If you are struggling with a tinnitus condition and aren't getting much relief from the tips and advice mentioned above, it might be time to visit your local audiologist to have a hearing test and an assessment. Your audiologist will be able to test the type of tinnitus you have and offer an optimized solution to alleviate the issue.

Contact Salyer Hearing Center today at Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599, Murphy: 828-835-1014.