Tinnitus is both frustrating and common. Roughly 20% of the American adult population—about 50 million people—has experienced tinnitus. Tinnitus is characterized by a sound in the head that has no external source. This can be a ringing, buzzing, whooshing or roaring sound, and since there is no external source, your brain gets confused about where it’s coming from.
There is no cure for tinnitus, but there are several management options and therapies that can ease the problem. One such option is sound therapy, which covers up or alters your perception of the noise in your head. Sound therapy is also very accessible, as you can use everyday household items, such as a fan, white noise machine or even a specialized sound therapy app.
There are two types of sound therapy: acoustic therapy and tinnitus retraining therapy.
Acoustic Therapy
Acoustic therapy utilizes a strategy called “masking.” As the term implies, masking covers the ringing with background noise, allowing you to tune out tinnitus. Sound machines, nature sounds or music can all achieve this effect. If you are a hearing aid user, your hearing aids can also mask tinnitus if you turn the volume up for outside noises. The American Tinnitus Association keeps a Masking Sound Library online, as well.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Tinnitus retraining therapy involves changing the way your brain interprets tinnitus. The goal is to teach the brain that tinnitus is a neutral sound and that it should filter the sound out. This process is called “habituation.” If your tinnitus is especially severe, this may sound impossible, but our brains do this all the time. For example, when you’re in a conversation, your brain will tune out the sound of your own voice—it already knows what you’re saying, and it’s very familiar with the sound, so there’s no need to register it.
Like acoustic therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy involves using background noise, but specifically a relaxing, neutral noise. Compared to acoustic therapy, the key difference is that retraining therapy isn’t meant to drown out the tinnitus-caused noises entirely. You want your brain to associate the sound of tinnitus with the sounds of relaxing background noise, moving the stimulus from a conscious level to a subconscious level. This will train your brain to stop paying attention to the noise in your head.
Tinnitus retraining therapy can be a long journey. Rancho Santa Fe Audiology is here to help customize a tinnitus retraining therapy strategy with you for effective management of your tinnitus.
Are There Other Options?
Rancho Santa Fe Audiology specializes in a number of tinnitus management options, ranging from sound therapy to surgery. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you manage your tinnitus, call us for more information or to schedule a tinnitus evaluation.
