Tinnitus is not always a steady ring in the background. It can sound like buzzing, humming, whistling or something harder to describe, and it may be more noticeable at certain times than others.
Wright Hearing Solutions works with people throughout the Greater Detroit area who want a better understanding of what they are hearing. We’ll talk through when it shows up, what seems to make it more noticeable and how it affects your concentration, sleep or conversations.
What is Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the experience of hearing a sound that isn’t coming from anything around you. It may be heard as ringing, buzzing, humming, clicking or other sounds and the experience is different for each person.
Several factors can contribute to tinnitus, including hearing loss, repeated exposure to loud noise, earwax buildup and certain medications. Your hearing evaluation looks at those possibilities to determine whether an underlying cause can be identified.
Recognizing the Signs of Tinnitus
Tinnitus doesn’t sound the same for everyone. Along with ringing or buzzing, you may notice other changes, including:
- Hearing a humming, clicking, hissing or other sounds that aren’t coming from anything around you.
- Finding tinnitus easier to hear in quiet places, like while reading or getting ready for bed.
- Pitch or volume that changes from time to time instead of staying the same.
- Changes in your hearing, like trouble following conversations or feeling a sense of fullness in one or both ears.
Sound Therapy Options
Sound therapy works by introducing external sounds to mask or distract the brain from internal ringing. Using ambient noise, soft music or white noise generators helps relegate phantom noise to the background.
That gentle background sound gives your brain something else to focus on instead of the ringing, which eases the mental fatigue that comes with it. We tune the settings to match the exact pitch and volume of what you’re actually hearing.
Hearing Aids with Tinnitus Masking Features
Hearing loss and tinnitus often show up together, so hearing aids can sometimes help with both. Making speech and other sounds easier to hear may also make tinnitus feel less noticeable. That can make conversations and other listening situations feel less dominated by the ringing or buzzing.
Some hearing aids also include tinnitus features that add soft background sounds when needed. These features can work alongside amplification rather than replacing it. We can discuss whether they make sense for your hearing and symptoms.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy combines sound therapy with counseling. Instead of trying to cover up tinnitus, it focuses on changing the way you respond to it.
As treatment continues, many people find that tinnitus draws less of their attention during activities. Counseling sessions also explain how tinnitus develops and what to expect throughout the process.