3 Ways to Manage Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be difficult to live with, and there often isn't a clear solution to get rid of it. The best that many people can do is to manage their tinnitus so that it's less noticeable or they can block it out. Fortunately, some of the top methods for managing tinnitus are very effective. If you have tinnitus, you can talk to your audiologist about the possibilities for treating it. They can recommend what they think might be the best option for you, or suggest a few things for you to choose which one you prefer. Here are three of the most common methods for dealing with tinnitus.

1. Hearing aids

Most people with tinnitus also have some form of hearing loss. This means that they can benefit from wearing hearing aids, which helps to improve their hearing ability. At the same time, hearing aids can help to manage the symptoms of tinnitus. Hearing aids help tinnitus sufferers firstly by improving their hearing. This can help them to hear more environmental noise so that their tinnitus isn't so loud.

Another thing that hearing aids can do is send other sounds directly into the ear, which helps to block out tinnitus. Sounds like white noise make it easier to ignore tinnitus and concentrate on other things instead. Some sound devices are designed just for tinnitus, while others are combined with other hearing aid options to improve hearing at the same time.

2. Sound machine

The use of sound machines is another common method of managing tinnitus. As well as wearable devices, many people use sound machines that work on their own. They can be particularly useful at night, when it can be difficult to block out the sound of tinnitus without other background noise. Hearing aids and wearable sound devices can't be worn to bed, which can make tinnitus even more noticeable. White noise machines are particularly helpful to many people. They give the brain another sound to focus on and block out tinnitus. White noise is also good for helping you to get a good night's sleep, even if you don't have tinnitus. You might also enjoy other sounds, such as nature sounds or other ambient noises that provide background sound.

3. Tinnitus retraining therapy

Tinnitus training therapy is also used to manage tinnitus. Speak to your audiologist about how it might help you if you're looking for tinnitus management techniques. The idea is to train the brain to ignore or block out tinnitus so that you're able to focus on other things. You're capable of filtering out plenty of sounds when you're concentrating on other things, so that things like conversation, rain or birdsong fade into the background. Tinnitus uses counselling and sound therapy to help you switch your brain's focus. It may involve wearing a sound device or hearing aids as part of the therapy.

If you need help managing tinnitus, speak to your audiologist. As well as the solutions above, they can suggest other helpful techniques for management.