Navigating the world of tinnitus, characterized by a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, can often feel like an invisible and solitary journey due to its internal nature. However, by understanding when to consult an auditory specialist, you can help ensure you get the necessary support to manage this condition.
Let’s look at some indicators that it’s time to seek professional assistance for tinnitus, along with insights into managing this auditory issue.
Duration of Ringing Exceeds One Week
While experiencing tinnitus for a brief period, such as five minutes, is typically not a cause for concern, living with a continuous ringing warrants a professional consultation. Temporary tinnitus can result from short-term auditory changes like those experienced after exposure to loud noises, also known as a temporary threshold shift. While temporary threshold shifts do not necessarily indicate a need for a hearing or tinnitus evaluation, you should consult your hearing specialist if ringing lasts longer than one week.
Severity of Symptoms is High
Tinnitus is usually categorized as either bothersome or non-bothersome. The latter is characterized by mild, sporadic ringing, whereas bothersome tinnitus is loud, disruptive and frequent. If you find that tinnitus is disturbing your sleep or detracting from simple pleasures like enjoying a meal at Walton’s, it’s essential to seek intervention to mitigate its adverse effects on your life.
Presence of Additional Symptoms
Often, tinnitus is a symptom of another underlying health condition, such as hearing loss, disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), ear injuries or the use of ototoxic medications that can harm the ear’s auditory mechanisms. If you’re experiencing any of these associated conditions or are taking ototoxic medications, consult your hearing specialist immediately. They may perform tests or recommend a second opinion if the source is outside of the field of audiology to pinpoint the root cause of your tinnitus and begin treating or managing the underlying condition.
Management Strategies for Tinnitus
When tinnitus stems from an identifiable external cause, symptom management begins by addressing that root issue. This could involve dental treatment for TMJ or substituting ototoxic medications where possible. If the underlying cause is untreatable, the focus shifts to managing the symptoms.
Management methods may include sound masking, therapeutic interventions and avoiding known triggers. For sound masking during the day, hearing aids can be particularly effective. These devices enhance speech clarity for those with hearing loss and often include features specifically designed to mask tinnitus symptoms. At night or when you cannot wear hearing aids, white noise machines can often effectively mask tinnitus.
To start managing your tinnitus symptoms, contact Hearing Healthcare Center, Inc. today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.