What Is Tinnitus And What Can You Do About It?

Written by Bria Collins, AuD, CCC-A

Imagine you are sleeping soundly in your bed. You are relaxed and dreaming, when suddenly you hear a scratching against your window that causes you to awaken suddenly. Your brain perks up and your heart rate increases. “Fight or flight” kicks in. Your eyes scan the room for an intruder or other danger. You notice that while you were sleeping, a thunderstorm was brewing outside. The wind and rain caused tree branches and leaves to strike your window, resulting in the strange sounds that caused you to wake. As you return to sleep, the sound of the storm outside persists, but your brain knows there is no threat, therefore, you can return to rest. This example is one I used regularly while working as a clinical audiologist to explain the brain and its reaction to the phantom sound of tinnitus.

Tinnitus is defined as a sound heard by an individual when there is no external source creating the sound (that is, the sound cannot be heard by anybody else). Tinnitus is commonly described as ringing, hissing, roaring, or buzzing. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that over 10% of the U.S population has experienced tinnitus (What is Tinnitus? | American Tinnitus Association (ata.org). It is also the most common service-connected disability among those who served in the military.

Although many individuals have experienced tinnitus at some point in life, NIDCD estimates that approximately 2 million Americans suffer from debilitating tinnitus—meaning that the ringing in their ears significantly impacts their daily life.

Below are answers to three key questions about tinnitus. Whether you suffer from tinnitus yourself or have a friend or family member who experiences tinnitus, this information can help you gain a better understanding of this mysterious phantom sound.

Is there a cure for tinnitus?
To date, there are no FDA-approved medications specifically proven to cure tinnitus. However, there are some treatment measures that can help people reduce their perception of this sound and annoyance from tinnitus. Common treatment plans include Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and/or hearing aids with the option for combination sound therapy features that reduce the perception of tinnitus (e.g, by providing a more soothing sound that balances or “drowns out” the unpleasant tinnitus noise). For tinnitus sufferers looking on the Internet for help, be wary of any product or pill that makes claims to cure tinnitus—as there is no evidence to support such claims.*(Note: for more information on TRT and CBT: Tinnitus – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic

What research is being done to treat tinnitus?
Tinnitus, including its origins and treatment options, has been studied since the 16^th century. Recently, there have been devices approved by the FDA to help manage tinnitus using external stimulation. Many of the newer tinnitus treatments focus on some form of sound therapy delivered to the auditory system, either sound generators or tinnitus sound therapy in combination with hearing aid amplification. Even though there are now some tinnitus treatment devices available with data to support reduction of tinnitus perception, there is not one “gold standard” treatment that works for everyone. Currently, these devices have FDA approval for tinnitus treatment and are available in the United States:

*(Note: this author does not promote or endorse any specific product of manufacturer for tinnitus management. The recommendation is to consult with an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus to discuss options that work best for each individual’s tinnitus management needs).

People who suffer from tinnitus are such a diverse group that it is difficult for researchers to control other variables and focus solely on tinnitus. Tinnitus perception is subjective to the listener; audiologists can measure tinnitus with loudness and pitch matching evaluations, but these tests rely on the listener to determine the tinnitus pitch and volume. Additional variables to control are degree of hearing loss, medications, pre-existing conditions, and general overall health. All these variables lead to challenges in finding a uniform group of tinnitus sufferers to examine, but these challenges do not keep researchers from trying to find solutions. On the American Tinnitus Association website, you can find a link to clinical trials for tinnitus and explore what research is currently being performed: Clinical Trials | American Tinnitus Association (ata.org)

What type of professional do I see for my tinnitus?
An audiologist will be the professional to seek evaluation and care for tinnitus. The audiologist’s first step will be to examine your ears to check for earwax build up. They will then conduct a comprehensive hearing evaluation, which will help them determine how well your outer, middle, and inner ear are working. It is also important to have a medical evaluation if you have tinnitus, especially if the tinnitus is new or if it is in one ear and not the other. The physician to see for medical evaluation of tinnitus is an otolaryngologist, also known as an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor). The ENT will determine if further testing to evaluate the tinnitus is needed (i.e., MRI, Doppler test, CT scans, etc). If you are going to seek treatment with hearing aids or tinnitus devices, the audiologist is best equipped to determine what will best suit your individual needs. Some tinnitus patients find it beneficial to seek care from a psychologist to see if CBT is an option for their treatment (Behavioral Therapies | American Tinnitus Association (ata.org)). Lastly, consulting with your primary care physician to review the medications you are taking is an important step in tinnitus management.

If you or a loved one suffers from bothersome tinnitus, consult with an audiologist to discuss options for treatment (refer to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s professional search tool to find professionals in your area: Find Certified Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) (asha.org). Lastly, bookmark the American Tinnitus Association (ata.org) homepage to check in for news and updates.

Bria Collins, AuD, CCC-A, is a certified audiologist and currently serves as Associate Director, Audiology Practices, for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association