How to treat tinnitus

Imagine the loss of silence — that is, to never be able to enjoy a quiet, peaceful space. This is the life of the chronic tinnitus sufferer.

Tinnitus, or “ringing in the ears,” is common, according to Statistics Canada. Most people can recall a time when they had temporary tinnitus, and for most of us, the sound will come and go. But for about 25% of people, it can occur frequently enough to impact their sleep, mood and concentration. In severe unrelenting cases, it can be downright debilitating, making it harder to relax and enjoy life.

As of now, there is no cure, nor any approved medications. The good news? It may take some back and forth with your healthcare team to find the right solution, but relief from ringing in your ears is possible.

Visit our directory of hearing clinics to find tinnitus treatment near you.

Why are my ears ringing? 

Noise exposure

Not all sufferers have a history of noise exposure, but by far the biggest culprit is noise. A loud concert, a table saw, a gunshot blast – with repeated exposure, all of these can to lead to tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss. Excessive noise can permanently damage the delicate hair cells of the inner ear, which are responsible for detecting sound waves.

Medical causes

There are other less common causes, such as Meniere's disease, acoustic neuroma, high blood pressure and even medication side effects. A check-up with your doctor can help rule out any health issues. 

In-depth: Tinnitus symptoms and causes

Prevention to keep tinnitus from getting worse

Minimize exposure to loud noise. This will protect your current levels of hearing while also reducing the risk of your tinnitus getting worse. This and other smart prevention strategies can help protect your hearing in the long run. Treating hearing loss is an important first step to better overall hearing health, both for hearing loss and tinnitus.

Hearing aids as treatment 

Hearing aids can help sufferers by improving the disruption and annoyance caused by tinnitus in many ways. The first way is via a "masking" effect—your brain is concentrating on hearing other real sounds. 

Hearing aids also reduce the effort to hear, and thus you spend less time focusing on the act of listening. People commonly report hearing their tinnitus more frequently when they experience higher levels of stress, like listening in a challenging environment. By reducing listening effort, the perception of ringing noises also can be reduced.

These changes won't occur overnight. The goal with properly fit hearing aids is long-term adaptation. Initially, you may feel like your tinnitus is less loud. The long-term goal of wearing hearing aids—paired with appropriate auditory counselling—is a reduction of tinnitus perception overall. 

Sound therapy as treatment for tinnitus

Beyond the use of hearing aids, there are other remedies that fall under the broad category of "sound therapy." Generally, these are apps or other music and "white noise" or masking programs that can be adjusted in relation to a person's tinnitus patterns. They've been shown to reduce tinnitus loudness and make it feel less intrusive. Some hearing aids can also provide forms of sound therapy, as its embedded within the devices and are easily accessible for a person to try out. Talk to your hearing care provider about these possible options.

Adding to the sound therapy approach, new research studies also show promise for what's known as bimodal devices. These devices stimulate the ears and a region on the head or neck simultaneously and may be helpful in reducing tinnitus loudness. Clinical trials are required to determine the overall effectiveness, but current laboratory findings are promising for relief.

Cognitive therapy 

Another option is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Usually conducted by a mental health therapist or psychologist, CBT focuses on reducing the negative reactions that are a part of living with tinnitus. Through a structured series of appointments, CBT attempts to reduce tinnitus-related stress and anxiety.

For many people, a combination of sound therapy and structured forms of counselling are most helpful.

Habituation and other techniques

As tinnitus coach Glenn Schweitzer shares, meditation can be a useful tool to "habituate." Essentially, with practice, the brain forgets about the sound, making it less distracting and intrusive. Tinnitus habituation includes addressing the anxiety and fear cycle, and eventually learning how to deal with tinnitus spikes and other stressors.

How to find treatment

Although there is no cure, help is available. Tinnitus research is ongoing and therapies to help reduce both the perception and annoyance are rapidly becoming more available. If your tinnitus is related to a health condition, like Meniere’s disease, treating the primary disease is vital.

After medical causes have been ruled out, the next step is to visit a hearing professional near you to complete a diagnostic hearing test and discuss your options for treatment. A hearing care professional will often recommend a combination of hearing aids, sound therapy and structured counselling in a customized plan designed to help you manage tinnitus. Remember: This is a treatable condition.