Treatment for Tinnitus

Millions of people suffer from tinnitus, which is also known as "ringing in the ears". The level of symptoms that people experience will vary from one person to another. The actual symptoms will also vary from person to person. Because there is no "set" array of symptoms, treating the ailment will also vary. For this reason, before any treatment program can begin, the condition must first be evaluated. To evaluate tinnitus, health care professionals will take a detailed medical history, followed by a physical examination, along with special tests to help narrow down what is causing the tinnitus. Health care professionals will want to know if the condition is constant or if it comes and goes. They will want to know if the condition is associated with any hearing loss or with any loss of balance. All of this information is needed in order to determine the cause of the problem. In some severe cases, specialty tests such as auditory brain stem response (ABR), CT scans, MRI, or other types of advanced testing may be necessary. These tests are not given to everyone, so do not let the mention of them here frighten you off from being evaluated. The above tests are used to determine if tumors or nerve damage is the underlying cause of the tinnitus. Once the underlying cause is known, treatment can begin. Treatment options for tinnitus vary from case to case. In many cases, no special treatment is needed at all. Tinnitus often goes away on its own without any treatment. This is often the case when someone experiences tinnitus after attending loud gatherings such as concerts or being exposed to loud noise such as a gunshot. It should also be noted that no treatment is given for those who have permanent tinnitus as there is no treatment for this type of hearing loss and tinnitus. For some other individuals, using the drug gabapentin may help reduce the intensity of tinnitus. Brand names for this drug include Neurontin and Gabarone. These drugs were shown to reduce the level of annoyance, but not the actual noise level. There are other treatment remedies for tinnitus as well and these may be as effective, if not more, than medications. Many studies suggest that decreasing caffeine and salt can help relieve the symptoms of tinnitus. Smoking is also known to increase the symptoms, quitting or slowing down on nicotine intake may also help reduce symptoms. Some individuals have found relief by taking zinc supplements. Melatonin has been shown to help those with tinnitus, especially those who have trouble sleeping. Gingo Bilboa, on the other hand, has not been shown to be effective as tinnitus remedy. For some individuals, relief from tinnitus can be achieved simply by having their ears cleaned as excessive build up of ear wax is known to cause tinnitus. Other people may find relief from over-the-counter treatments. If simple treatment options do not work for you, consider visiting a health care professional who can help determine the root cause of the tinnitus and advise you as to what treatment options will work best for you. Learn more now.