How to Hear With Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition where the sufferer hears buzzing, beeping, chirping or ringing noises inside their head or ear. These sounds are only audible to that person thus making hearing over them very challenging. When tinnitus becomes constant and severe enough to interfere with daily hearing many seek relief, and with no known cure relief can be hard to find.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the cause of the tinnitus. The main cause of tinnitus is damage to the cochlea inside the inner ear. The nerve cells in the cochlea that have been damaged are producing a sound that is being heard in the brain. This damage could have been caused by exposure to loud sound, trauma to the head, a virus in the ear or use of certain prescription drugs. List any of these causes that apply to your case; be specific you will need this list in the next step.

• 2

  Make an appointment with a qualified hearing specialist for a comprehensive audiometric examination. Most people experiencing tinnitus that interferes with hearing also have a hearing loss. Share with the specialist your list of causes and experiences from step one.

• 3

  Follow the advice of the specialist. If it's determined that you have a hearing loss and are a candidate for hearing aids, try them on. Most hearing specialist will allow you to try on hearing aids at the initial appointment. This gives you a chance to see if the aids will cover up the sound of the tinnitus, allowing you to hear better.

• 4

  Ask the hearing specialist about tinnitus maskers. It may be determined that the damage is too severe to be corrected with hearing aids. If this is the case ask about another device called a masker. A tinnitus masker can be used to cover the signal going to the brain from the damaged nerves and help relieve symptoms.

• 5

  Seek further help from an alternative health practitioner. Meditation can be very effective in relieving tinnitus and helping people cope with the constant sound. Acupuncture is also being used effectively to treat the damaged nerves in the ear and help people with tinnitus.

• 6

  Consider surgery. There are some new surgical techniques that replace nerves in the ear and can alleviate tinnitus. Talk to your doctor or hearing specialist about this possibility.