TINNITUS
Testing and Treatment
Although there is a high prevalence of tinnitus, many people do not seek professional help due to a misconception that it cannot be treated. Relaxation techniques can help manage stress and fatigue and can reduce the effects, particularly when practiced daily.
What Action Should I Take?
There are clinically proven treatments for reducing the impact it has on your quality of life. Counselling, noise generators, hearing devices, tinnitus retraining therapy and habituation are treatment options that can be tailored to an individual rehabilitation program.
We recommend consulting your GP and making an appointment to have your hearing checked by a qualified audiologist. Shout can help you manage your symptoms and if required, fit a hearing device. Modern hearing devices remove the strain of listening and enable you to better understand the sounds around you. You can read more about the causes of tinnitus here.
*Sindhusake,D., Mitchell,P., Newall,P., Golding,M., Rochtchina,E., Rubin,G. (2003) Prevalence and Characteristics of Tinnitus in Older Adults: The Blue Mountains Hearing Study. International Journal of Audiology July; 42 (5) 289 – 294.
How Hearing Aids Help
*American Tinnitus Association, (n.d.). Hearing aids. Managing your tinnitus. http://www.ata.org/managing-your-tinnitus/treatment-options/hearing-aids.
In Picture A, the person has a hearing loss. The background sound is indistinct and the cricket (tinnitus) is very clear. In Picture B, the person has been fitted with a hearing aid and the background is clear and rich in detail. Although the cricket is still present, it blends in with the background. The listener’s attention is diverted to other features of the environment. The success of hearing aids in managing tinnitus depends on how well background sounds can be made to blend with tinnitus.*