Tinnitus frequentyl asked questions. If you have recently been diagnosed with having tinnitus is can be a scary time. You probably have lots of questions you would like the answers to. This post addresses some of the questions you might have.
Tinnitus is the awareness of a sound sensation that is not due to an external sound source. There are two main types of tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is something only you can hear and is often caused by sensorineural hearing loss, trauma, shock or stress. Objective tinnitus can be heard by the person who has it as well as from outside. It is often heard in rhythm with the hearts beat. For a detailed explanation please read our What is Tinnitus? article.
Tinnitus originates from the Latin word ‘tinnīre’ which means to ring. Tinnitus might manifest as a ringing sound however it can take a number of different forms. These might include ringing, whistling, buzzing or musical notes. Please see our What Tinnitus Sounds Like page.
Tinnitus can be caused by a wide variety of causes. These can include sensorineural hearing loss, medical procedures, medical complaints, stress, trauma and anything overwhelming. Please see our Medical Causes of Tinnitus page.
Problematic tinnitus does not have to be permanent. Problematic tinnitus is characterised by a negative somatic and psychological reaction to it. These can be worked with so that tinnitus is able to recede into the background so that you are no longer aware of it. Tinnitus comes in shades of grey. It can get better depending on the support you have and help you get. You do not need to suffer if you have tinnitus. We offer tinnitus retraining therapy as a stand alone therapy.
Habituation is a form of learning where we decrease or cease to respond to a stimulus after repeated presentations. Tinnitus habituation means that we are no longer aware of a tinnitus stimulus most of the time and when we are aware of it, we no longer respond negatively to it. This is an attainable goal with the right therapy, help and support. Tinnitus habituation can can be achieved by our Tinnitus Counselling and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.
Tinnitus retraining therapy is a process which enables you to become desensitised to a tinnitus stimulus. This means that tinnitus becomes less intrusive, less loud and can disappear into the background of your awareness. When you do become more aware of it, you no longer have a negative reaction to it. We offer a psychological approach to tinnitus retraining therapy as part of our Tinnitus Counselling service.
Ear buds are what many people use to listen to their phones or iPods. One of the leading causes of tinnitus is sensorineural hearing loss. Listening to music at an unsafe volume using any device can cause hearing loss and tinnitus. Using ear buds does not allow any background noise to enter the ear and can internalise the tinnitus making it more intrusive after listening to earbuds. Please see our page: Do Ear Buds Cause Tinnitus?
Tinnitus masking describes a type of Tinnitus Sound Therapy. It is the process of covering over or masking a tinnitus stimulus with another more pleasant sound. The more pleasant sound might be likened to letting our air from a pressurised tyre. Tinnitus masking is sometimes used as part of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. Tinnitus masking is achieved by way of the following products. White Noise Machines, Tinnitus Maskers, Tinnitus Relief Downloads.
Tinnitus sound therapy is a broad terms which describes the use of sounds or music a a type of therapy for tinnitus. It might be used to relax, as part of tinnitus retraining therapy or to mask tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus sound therapy might include using natural sounds, music, a white noise machine, a tinnitus masker or tinnitus relief download.
Tinnitus prevention is helped if you look after your hearing health. This means regular check-ups with an audiologist. Protecting your hearing from loud noise also plays a crucial part in tinnitus prevention. We might work in noisy environments or use machinery that requires hearing protection on a regular basis. Turning down the volume on music devices can also help to protect your hearing. Please see our Hearing Protection products