What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a symptom commonly described as hearing a ringing, buzzing, or static-like noise in the absence of external sounds. For some, it is intermittent, but for others, it is constant and significantly impacts quality of life. It is a common symptom of undiagnosed hearing loss but an occur without the presence of hearing loss. Multiple studies have found that many people experience tinnitus but ultimately, there is no cure for tinnitus.

Treatment Options
People may find relief from their tinnitus with the following techniques:
– Lifestyle Changes: this can include dietary changes such as reducing caffeine or sodium intake and mental health changes to attempt to reduce stress.
– Sound Machines: the addition of a sound that is soothing and pleasing in the environment of the individual can help relax the brain and give it something else to focus on rather than the tinnitus.
– Hearing Aids with Masking Features: The intention of these devices is to provide a constant sound in the patient’s ears which is soothing to their brain and helps take their mind off the tinnitus. A similar concept to the sound machine, but it is in the patient’s ears only instead of in the environment.
– Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: a therapeutic approach of incorporating masking devices such as hearing aids or sound machines to help re-train the brain to habituate and ignore

How JHBI Can Help You
At Jacksonville Hearing & Balance Institute our audiologists provide thorough tinnitus evaluations that include pitch and loudness matching which is an attempt to define the subjective sound the patient experiences. They are also able to help walk you through the treatment options and help determine which may be the best option for you. For further information and to schedule an appointment with us, please call 904-399-0350.