South Louisiana-Based Specialist Offering Expertise in Tinnitus Treatment and Relief

In many cases, an exact cause of tinnitus is never found. Tinnitus is not a disease itself. It is a symptom of an underlying health problem.

Tinnitus is often related to other ear problems, conditions that affect the nerves in your ear or the hearing center in your brain, or chronic health conditions.

Many medications affect tinnitus, such as antibiotics, cancer medications, diuretics, quinine medications, some antidepressants, and aspirin.

Other common causes include:

• Age-related hearing loss. As we age, our hearing gradually worsens, usually beginning around age 60. Hearing loss sometimes causes tinnitus.
• Earwax blockage.  Ear wax helps to clean, protect, and lubricate your ears, but sometimes we have too much of it. When too much earwax builds up, it may lead to hearing loss or inflammation of the eardrum, which can cause tinnitus.
• Exposure to loud noise. We live in a noisy world. Loud noise from construction equipment, chainsaws, very loud concerts, and portable music devices can cause tinnitus and in some cases, permanent damage.
• Ear bone changes. A condition called otosclerosis, which is a stiffening of the bones in your middle ear, can affect your hearing and cause tinnitus.
• Inner ear infections
• Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Meniere’s disease. This is an inner-ear condition that causes hearing loss.

Unfortunately, there is no cure at this time for most cases of chronic tinnitus. Because no two patients and no two cases of tinnitus are alike, your treatment plan will be unique to you.

Tinnitus treatment depends on the cause of your tinnitus.

If an underlying health condition, such as high blood pressure, is causing your tinnitus, your doctor will create a treatment plan. If a particular medication is a problem, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative medicine. Usually, once the underlying condition is treated, the tinnitus goes away.

When no specific cause can be identified, your doctor will probably focus on tinnitus management, making your tinnitus easier to tolerate. There are many supportive devices and techniques that can be used to reduce its impact on your everyday life. Some possible methods include:

• Hearing aids: Many people who have hearing loss find that a hearing aid is helpful in the treatment of tinnitus.
• Sound generators: Wearable sound generators can create white noise, or constant background noise which masks the tinnitus and helps people sleep.
• Counseling: People who suffer from tinnitus often become depressed or anxious. A counselor and/or a support group can help you cope with your symptoms.
• Tinnitus retraining therapy: The goal of this type of treatment is to teach your brain to ignore the sounds you hear, using a mix of counseling and other approaches.
• Relaxing: In some cases, stress makes the tinnitus worse. Simple relaxation techniques may reduce your stress level.
• Medications: There is no medication that cures tinnitus, but some medications may help reduce the severity of symptoms or complications.