Tinnitus affects about 10% of people in the United States, making it one of the most common health conditions in the country. Tinnitus sounds have been described as ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming or clicking, and for many people, it can be so constant that it’s burdensome or even debilitating. It is usually the symptom of another condition, such as an injury, cardiovascular issues, medications, sinus pressure and more. Because of this, there is no cure for tinnitus itself.
What Sound Therapy Does
The good news is that effective management strategies for tinnitus exist, such as sound therapy. Sound therapy is a brain retraining technique that encourages the brain to ignore tinnitus sounds. This process is known as “habituation.”
As mentioned above, there is no cure for tinnitus; sound therapy is not a cure for the condition. It won’t make the tinnitus sounds go away. What it will do, however, is decrease your perception of tinnitus sounds and, therefore, lessen your reaction to them. Your brain will classify the sound as something unimportant and ignore it.
How Sound Therapy Works
Sound therapy involves introducing soothing sounds that distract your brain from tinnitus sounds. Over time, your brain will associate tinnitus with the soothing sounds and begin to treat them the same. This may sound impossible, especially if your tinnitus is especially severe, but in fact, your brain does it all the time! Your ears pick up sound waves from things like the hum of the refrigerator or the sound of your own breathing, but your brain categorizes those sounds as unimportant and filters them out so you don’t notice them.
How to Begin Sound Therapy for Tinnitus
Sound therapy is very accessible, with sound therapy apps, YouTube videos and a sound therapy library hosted by the American Tinnitus Association. When you’re using programs like this, you aren’t trying to drown out the tinnitus with something louder. Instead, your goal is to hear the tinnitus along with the sound therapy program, so the brain associates the two.
We also highly recommend that you consult an audiologist; they can take into account what is causing your tinnitus and create a customized sound therapy regimen based on the degree and severity of your tinnitus. Sound therapy administered by an audiologist who is trained in sound therapy for tinnitus has helped countless patients ignore their tinnitus and move forward with their daily lives. Call Sound Advice today to find out more information or to schedule a tinnitus evaluation.