HearBest Tinnitus FAQsTinnitus Frequently Asked Questions

Tinnitus is hearing a sound in your ears or head, such as ringing, buzzing, hissing or swooshing, when no outside sound is present. It's often described as the phantom perception of sound. More than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus, and it affects people of all ages, though it's more common in older adults.

When your ears don't send the brain enough sound, even in the earliest stages of hearing loss, the brain can turn up its own activity to make up for the missing input. That increased activity, often called “central gain,” is what you hear as tinnitus. This is why tinnitus and hearing loss so often go together.

Tinnitus is a symptom rather than a disease on its own. It can result from various factors, including hearing loss, noise exposure, medications, injury, or other medical conditions. Our thorough evaluation helps identify underlying causes and develop effective treatment strategies.

Brief ringing, like after a loud concert, is common. Tinnitus that lasts or keeps coming back is a sign that something in your hearing system has changed, most often hearing loss, and it's worth having evaluated. For most people it isn't a sign of a serious illness. However, tinnitus in only one ear, tinnitus that pulses in time with your heartbeat, or tinnitus that comes on suddenly with hearing loss or dizziness should be checked promptly by a medical provider.

Yes. A blockage of earwax can cause tinnitus or make it louder. If the tinnitus continues after the wax is removed, there may be underlying tinnitus that the earwax was making more noticeable. HearBest offers earwax removal.

Not always. The most common cause is age-related change in the hearing system, which often begins in your 40s or 50s. You can lower your risk and keep tinnitus from getting louder by protecting your ears from loud noise and taking care of your sleep, stress and overall health, which can all make tinnitus more noticeable. We also offer custom hearing protection.

Tinnitus can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, and poor sleep can lead to fatigue and trouble concentrating. The constant sound can also bring on frustration, anxiety or low mood, and some people start avoiding activities they used to enjoy. Tinnitus itself isn't life-threatening, but because it can affect so much of daily life, it's worth treating early.

Yes, stress can significantly affect how you perceive tinnitus. Our comprehensive treatment approach includes stress management strategies and lifestyle modifications.

It depends on the cause. Tinnitus from a temporary cause, such as loud noise exposure or earwax, may fade. Tinnitus that lasts for months usually needs treatment to become less noticeable, and many patients who follow a personalized treatment plan notice a meaningful reduction.

For most people, the right treatment makes it possible to live an active life without constant interference from tinnitus. In severe cases, however, tinnitus can be disabling.

Tinnitus itself doesn't cause balance problems, but the two can share a source. Your inner ear houses both your hearing and your balance (vestibular) system, so some inner ear conditions cause tinnitus along with dizziness or vertigo. If you have both, HearBest's Balance Clinic at Lafayette South can evaluate them.

HearBest offers personalized tinnitus evaluations and treatment plans. While tinnitus often accompanies hearing loss, we treat many patients who only have tinnitus. Treating hearing loss often results in making the ringing less noticeable. Tinnitus treatment plans include tinnitus-specific programming and access to a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program and sound therapies.

Hearing aids stimulate the hearing nerve and the brain, which can decrease the perception of tinnitus. Some hearing devices also include sound therapy technologies which can be helpful when treating tinnitus.

While there's no single cure for tinnitus, our proven treatment methods can significantly reduce its impact on your life. Many patients (90%) report substantial relief through our comprehensive management approach.

We use advanced diagnostic tools to measure tinnitus and its impact on your life. This precise assessment guides our treatment recommendations.

Tinnitus retraining therapy is an indirect approach that may be used alongside direct treatment. Its benefits vary from patient to patient, and published research on its effectiveness is limited. Your provider will recommend the combination of treatments that fits your tinnitus.

There are currently no FDA-approved drugs specifically for treating tinnitus. However, medications may help with the stress, anxiety or depression that can come with tinnitus. Talk with your physician about those options.

Surgery isn't a dependable treatment for tinnitus. Procedures that cut the hearing nerve cause permanent deafness and often leave the tinnitus in place, sometimes as the only sound a person hears.

There isn't conclusive research showing that acupuncture reduces tinnitus. If you're considering it, talk with your physician. The treatments with the strongest support focus on giving the brain the sound input it's missing.