Tinnitus as a condition often calls in-between a number of different healthcare practitioners. A person might see a doctor an ENT consultant, an audiologist or a tinnitus counsellor. You might purchase a tinnitus masker online or through your local audiologist. You might have some questions regarding how a masker can help you with tinnitus. This post aims to address some of the questions you might have.
What does a tinnitus masker do?
A tinnitus masker is a wearable tinnitus management device which emits a pleasant sound to cover over the sound of tinnitus. It might make a range of different sounds: for example white noise, pink noise or ocean waves. White noise, sounds like air being released from a compressed container.
White noise is sound which consists of all of the sound frequencies which are audible to the human ear. It is called white noise because a comparison is made to white light which contains all of the colours of the light spectrum. White noise is made up of 20,000 different tones between 20 and 20,000 Hz.
How to wear a tinnitus masker?
A tinnitus masker is usually worn over the top and back of the ear or sometime in the ear canal itself.
How loud should I have my tinnitus masker?
If you are using your tinnitus masker to completely cover the sound of tinnitus you should have it as a volume loud enough so you cannot hear your tinnitus.
If you are using your masker as part of tinnitus retraining therapy you should have it at a level where you can still hear your tinnitus as well as the white noise from the masker.
What programme should I use?
Every masker is slightly different. the Sueno tinnitus maskers we sell come with three different programmes. These are pink noise, white noise and ocean waves.
If you are using the masker for tinnitus habituation or tinnitus sound therapy you should try and chose a noise which is the closest match to your tinnitus. If you experiencing a ringing tinnitus sound try a similar pitch to your tinnitus.
If the provided programmes are not any where near the same pitch as your tinnitus you can consult your local audiologist or use white or pink noise on one of our maskers.
Will my tinnitus masker help with tinnitus retraining therapy?
Medical practitioners used to almost always recommend using a tinnitus masker for tinnitus habituation or tinnitus retraining therapy. They now say that if you can do without a masker it is better for tinnitus retraining therapy not to have one.
What we say is if you are really stressed by tinnitus use a masker if you would like to relax. The masker gives you an almost guaranteed way to relax which you need to habituate tot tinnitus. If your nervous system is permanently triggered by tinnitus it will be difficult to habituate to it.
Will I get addicted to my tinnitus masker?
Once you start using a tinnitus masker it can make life without it, sometimes difficult. This is because when you take it off you are confronted with the tinnitus sound you are trying to avoid. A tinnitus masker can form part of tinnitus retraining therapy and help with tinnitus habituation. If you need to use it use it. If you have to take it off in a quiet environment give yourself some adjustment time.
How can a tinnitus masker help me habituate to tinnitus?
If you listen to a pleasant sound at the same time as your tinnitus the brain starts to accommodate the two sounds as one. If you are experiencing problematic tinnitus , over time the brain starts to neutralise the perceived threat of tinnitus.
How can a tinnitus masker be used as part of tinnitus retraining therapy?
You might start by completely covering over the sound of tinnitus with your masker to help your nervous system switch off and relax. Tinnitus masking might be used along side tinnitus counselling to help you start to change the way you think about tinnitus. Over time you might gradually lower the level of the tinnitus masker and gradually introduce tinnitus in a controlled exposure type therapy way. This way you get more control over it and can change your negative reaction to the tinnitus.
Over time the white noise can also override the tinnitus sound making your brain believe it hears a pleasant masking sound as opposed to a sound which is more intrusive.
White Noise Benefits
- Complete tinnitus masking
- Partial tinnitus masking for habituation
- Helps you to relax
- Helps you to sleep
- Calms crying babies
- Helps you to concentrate
- Increases productivity