Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, refers to the perception of sound when no external sound is present. It may be a temporary or chronic condition
It has been described as ringing, buzzing, humming, roaring, waterfall, and sizzling. Each person’s is unique and will affect each individual differently.
The sudden and persistent onset of tinnitus in one ear may be a sign of sudden hearing loss and should be assessed with a hearing test within 48 hours.
The onset of tinnitus can be associated with exposure to loud noise (both impulsive or long-term), certain medications, and trauma to the head or neck, to name a few. It can also occur unrelated to an event. The mechanism(s) causing the sound are not fully understood, although research has made strides in this direction more recently.
In most cases tinnitus can be managed, but for some it’s a chronic condition that can affect sleep and everyday function. Fortunately, there are options to reduce its effects.
A Tinnitus LAB, first time in UAE
The Tinnitus program at the IQRAA is patterned after an evidenced based step-by-step program developed by the Danaah Medical Technologies. This program teaches you to manage your reaction to the tinnitus.
Tinnitus Diagnostic Test Battery
Hearing threshold assessment- Tympanometry with Acoustic reflex testing
- Tinnitus pitch matching
- Tinnitus Loudness Matching
- Minimal masking Level Test
- Tinnitus Handicap Inventory
- Sound therapy which uses an externally produced sound to either cover up or in some way inhibit or alter production of tinnitus can offer relief for some. There are six main methods of acoustic stimulation.
- A sound generator, sometimes called tinnitus masker: an ear-level electronic device housed in a hearing aid case that produces a white noise.
- A tinnitus instrument: a combination hearing aid and sound generator.
- Hearing aids: help to amplify speech as well as environmental noise and thus stimulate areas of the ear and brain that otherwise may not be receiving adequate stimulation because of the hearing loss.
The use of hearing aids and a combination of hearing aids and maskers are often effective ways to minimize tinnitus. While it is not clear whether hearing aids help by amplifying background sounds that can mask out the tinnitus or by actually altering the production of tinnitus, most hearing aid wearers report at least some reduction in their tinnitus. This may be due to the reduction in contrast between tinnitus and silence, or because of the new stimulation provided to the brain.
A full hearing evaluation and workup is advocated as part of tinnitus management to assess the potential for medical remediation. Also, if you have a hearing loss in addition to tinnitus, ways to correct your hearing loss can be discussed. The solution for hearing loss might include a feature that also produces sounds that can divert your attention from the tinnitus. To make an appointment please Call 06 532 5044