What is Tinnitus and Why Should I get a Hearing Test to Check for it?

That ringing in your ears…that nobody else can hear, but you hear all the time – that’s tinnitus. Everyone’s experienced temporary tinnitus at some point, say when you come back home from a loud concert, but persistent tinnitus should be checked up by a hearing professional immediately.

What is tinnitus?

• Mayo clinic defines tinnitus as “the perception of noise or ringing in the ears.” It can also manifest as whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming,  roaring, or even shrieking.
• Tinnitus is not a condition itself, but rather symptomatic of an underlying auditory problem.
• Approximately 80% of people suffering from tinnitus report some degree of hearing loss.

What are some of the common causes of Tinnitus?

• Ear wax blockage
• Injury to the ears, neck, or head
• Degeneration of bones in the middle ear
• Age-related hearing loss

How can I manage tinnitus?

• Tinnitus becomes more manageable and less noticeable over time with the help of advanced hearing aids. You can schedule an appointment at a clinic near you and benefit from a free hearing assessment with a qualified audiologist who will also test for tinnitus.
• Devices designed for tinnitus relief use sound therapy. Hearing aids of this kind work in two ways. First, they zoom in on the speech source and amplify the volume so that the user can perceive external sounds again, and second, they distract the user from unpleasant sounds using pleasant, positively perceived sounds. This could be white noise, specialized ear-masking noises, low-level music, or even your own customized music.

Take the first steps towards managing your tinnitus! 

Tinnitus cannot be completely eliminated, and there are no fast fixes. However, you can manage it effectively by setting the right goals with the help of a qualified audiologist near you. They’ll administer a free hearing test, check for tinnitus, and recommend the latest hearing solutions that you can try risk free.