Tinnitus - Guide to treatment for ringing in the ears

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Are you suffering from Tinnitus?

Have you ever experienced ringing, buzzing or hissing in your ears? If so, you are not alone. Tinnitus is a common hearing complaint which affects 15-20% of the population. People with tinnitus experience ringing or other noises in one or both of their ears.
The team at Hidden Hearing can identify and treat this condition and provide you relief.

Book a complimentary consultation 

Online tinnitus test

People with tinnitus often experience hearing loss too. Our quick online tinnitus test can help you understand if you might have tinnitus and / or hearing loss and what you can do about it.

Question 1 – Experiencing ringing or buzzing noises
Do you ever experience ringing or buzzing sounds in your ear(s) when no external sound is present?
Do you ever have trouble falling asleep or concentrating due to any ringing or buzzing sounds in your ear(s)?
Do you ever have trouble following conversations because you don’t hear properly?
Do you find yourself turning up the volume on the TV or radio louder than normal?

Your result:

Indications of tinnitus and hearing loss

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of tinnitus and hearing loss. We recommend that you visit one of our clinics. There are hearing aids that can treat your hearing loss and might give you relief from your tinnitus.*

Book a FREE hearing test in a clinic near you

* The result of the test may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

Indications of hearing loss

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of hearing loss but no symptoms of tinnitus. We recommend that you visit one of our clinics to to see if you have a hearing loss that should be treated.*

Book a FREE hearing test in a clinic near you

* The result of the test may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

Symptoms of tinnitus indicated

Your answers indicate that you may experience symptoms of tinnitus. We recommend that you read about tinnitus treatment options to learn about how to cope with and find relief from tinnitus symptoms.*

* The result of the test may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Your result:

No tinnitus or hearing loss indicated

Your answers indicate that you do not have tinnitus - or that you have non-bothersome tinnitus that is not currently affecting your everyday life. If you experience symptoms of tinnitus in the future, we recommend visiting your local health care provider.

* The result of the test may only be used for guidance. Official conclusions about hearing loss/tinnitus can be provided by our certified hearing care experts.

Step 1 of 3

What causes tinnitus?

There are many possible causes of tinnitus. The most common cause is exposure to excessive noise, which damages the tiny hair cells in the inner ear. The ringing in your ears is the result of your brain trying to compensate for the loss of hair cells.

Common causes of ringing in the ears include:

  1. Exposure to loud noise
  2. The natural aging process
  3. Middle-ear infections
  4. Emotional distress
  5. Diabetes
  6. Negative reactions to medicines
  7. Neck or head injuries
  8. Hyperacusis (intolerance to noise)
  9. Other untreated medical conditions such as Ménière's disease, Otitis media (a middle-ear infection), etc.

 Is a hearing test relevant for you?

Symptoms of tinnitus

Tinnitus (pronounced tin-ni-tus) affects about 15-20% of people and is commonly caused by hearing loss or an ear injury. Tinnitus is often experienced as a ringing in the ears that only you can hear, but it could also be any of the following sounds:

  • Hissing
  • Buzzing
  • Whistling
  • Roaring
  • Ringing

People with tinnitus can also experience hearing loss.

Signs and symptoms of hearing loss

Tinnitus treatment and prevention

There is no cure for tinnitus, but there are many ways you can manage it and reduce its impact on your life. The following management techniques can be rather effective in turning a potentially negative and emotionally charged sound (tinnitus) into a neutral presence.

Illustration of man doing yoga
Relaxation and mindfulness
Yoga and meditation have been proven to be particularly effective in relieving tinnitus.
Illustration of man with headphones
Sound therapy
Can help reduce the contrast between tinnitus and quiet environments.
Illustration of shield with an ear
Hearing protection gear
Protection (such as earplugs) can help prevent further hearing damage caused by loud noise.
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Hearing aids
Can make your tinnitus stand out less by amplifying sounds. Some devices have built-in sound generators.

Sound therapy can provide relief from ringing in the ears

Although sound therapy cannot eliminate tinnitus, it can be a helpful tool for managing the symptoms. With sound therapy, you listen to different, carefully selected sounds, which can help you feel that your tinnitus is reduced or temporarily gone.

It then becomes easier to move your attention away from your tinnitus. Plus, it helps you to focus on something more pleasant. You can find the sound therapy that gives you the most effective relief from ringing in the ears by working together with your hearing care expert.

Sound therapy can be provided through:

  • Tinnitus masking sound generator devices
  • Apps for tinnitus relief
  • Sound and sleep apps
  • Hearing aids with tinnitus sound therapy features
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Treating tinnitus with hearing aids

Hearing aids not only help with hearing loss, they simultaneously mask the sound of tinnitus by amplifying the sounds around you. This can result in reduced listening effort, a perceived reduction in tinnitus volume, and an improved ability to communicate with ease.

In addition, most of our hearing aids offer sound therapy sounds that are customized to your individual needs and preferences.

View a list of our hearing aids with tinnitus masking features:

Hearing aid brands and models

Tinnitus and hearing loss – do you have both?

Research shows that most people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss without being aware of it, and many of them can benefit from hearing aids.

80% of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss

Hearing aids can help transmit more sounds into the ear and brain, thereby making the symptoms of tinnitus less bothersome. Moreover, improved hearing helps you to focus on sounds other than tinnitus, and for many people, this improvement is enough to experience relief.

Consequences of untreated tinnitus

Some tinnitus sufferers become sensitive to places with constant talking or loud music, so they begin to avoid such social situations altogether. To others, it is so disturbing that a full night’s sleep can become difficult to achieve. Tinnitus, if left untreated, can lead to the following consequences:

  • Anger
  • Concentration problems
  • Isolation
  • Depression
  • Sensitivity to places with constant talking or loud music
  • Sleep disorder, insomnia

Some people are able to ignore their tinnitus most of the time, but leaving it untreated can have a negative impact on your life if it is experienced over extended periods of time.

FAQ about tinnitus

Darren McKeown, audiologist

“Act early, when you start noticing changes in your hearing or feel people are not as clear as they used to be. Get in touch with your nearest Hidden Hearing clinic for a free screening.”

My name is Darren, I became an audiologist because I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, and Audiology caught my attention. On completing my studies, I began working with Hidden Hearing, and I can honestly say that it is the job of my dreams. It's challenging and rewarding in equal measure, and I get to make a positive difference, changing people's hearing and quality of life.
It’s wonderful to see patients maintain a stable degree of hearing function without decline. This was the case for one of my patients who has been attending appointments with me for the past 6 years. It validates the treatment I’ve prescribed and the 6-monthly monitoring and adjustments I’ve undertaken when treating their hearing loss. Each time a new audiogram is produced I review the data and hearing instrument usage providing the best solutions to fine tune his hearing aids.

I am saddened when a patient with hearing loss defers treatment. I appreciate that it takes time for patients to come to terms with their diagnosis, and hearing loss is stigmatised. As an audiologist, I am all too well aware of the impact of hearing loss on a patients social, psychological and mental wellbeing; however, the patient will ultimately decide what is best for them. Often, patients take time to process their diagnosis, make an informed decision and return for treatment. It thrills me to know they are taking control of their hearing health. It could be something very simple to fix like a build-up of wax or it could be a sudden loss which requires immediate attention.