It's never easy to deal with hearing issues, whether that's in the form of an infection, a hearing loss or even a condition called tinnitus. Have you ever found yourself listening to the ringing or buzzing in your ears? If so, you may be suffering with tinnitus. People everywhere deal with tinnitus every day, and while some deal with it mildly, others feel the devastating effects of tinnitus. While tinnitus isn't a disease, it is a symptom of an issue that is underlying, and it's essential to fix that issue before it becomes a problem that overwhelms your life.

Hearing loss and tinnitus

People who deal with hearing loss often experience the buzzing, ringing or hissing of tinnitus in one or both ears. This is not a sound that comes from a source outside the ear, and the sound is localized entirely to the interior structure of the ear instead. Hearing loss can be caused by anything from age to a penchant for loud music concerts, and exposure to loud noise for prolonged periods can damage the internal hair cells inside the ear. Almost 90% of those who are coping with the effects of tinnitus have a level of hearing loss. This is a loss that can only be diagnosed with the help of an audiologist, so it's essential to make an appointment.

Common options for tinnitus relief

If you are searching for a cure for tinnitus, you may find yourself coming up short. This is because there is no one cure for tinnitus; it's treatable, but not curable. There are, however, treatment options that will make a difference to your tinnitus symptoms. Let's take a look:

Hearing aids

The ideal treatment option for tinnitus is hearing aids because most cases of tinnitus are caused by hearing loss. When hearing aids are fitted, they amplify the sound around you, drowning out the ringing from the tinnitus. Your audiologist can assess which type of tinnitus you have and which hearing aids will work best for you. Sometimes, though, hearing aids are just not enough.

Sound therapy

It's been one of the treatments that have been around the longest, but sound therapy is still as popular now as it ever was. The best way to explain sound therapy is that the tone that matches your tinnitus will be played until the sound becomes inaudible. It's based on distraction and is still an effective treatment today. Working in combination with counseling, it can be the best way to treat the tinnitus.

Tinnitus retraining therapy

Designed to make the sound of the tinnitus less noticeable, tinnitus retraining therapy involves counseling that can explain how your internal auditory system works. Combined with sound therapy,  a device is used to match the pitch and volume of the tinnitus that you're experiencing,

Before you start on any treatment, your audiologist will talk you through what is causing your tinnitus and how you can make it easier to cope with. Book an appointment today, and you can alleviate your tinnitus symptoms.