Tinnitus has been around for a long time. But perhaps it’s new to you, like a loud used car you can’t return. A constant ringing or buzzing is normally how tinnitus is experienced but not always. Sometimes, the sound is quite overwhelming. Symptoms vary significantly, but this is the point: you are probably looking for new ways of coping with your tinnitus if it’s something that’s bothering you.
Fortunately, new therapies and treatments are being developed that aren’t cures for tinnitus but can help you manage it. Your tongue is even involved in some of those treatments.
The Most Recent Way to Manage Tinnitus
One of the latest treatments for tinnitus seems a little odd at first but does appear to show some promise. Both the tongue and the ear are stimulated with this device designed at the Trinity School of Medicine in Dublin. Bi-modal neurostimulation is the technical term for this technique.
The results were rather striking with this device according to the first tests. Most individuals underwent treatments for a duration of twelve weeks or so. Over those 12 months, those same individuals observed a dramatic reduction in tinnitus symptoms. But this kind of therapy is still in the testing phase and not extensively available yet.
How Can I Find Tinnitus Relief Now?
Unfortunately, it will most likely be quite a while before novel therapies such as this are generally available. So maybe you’re curious about what you can do now to help deal with your tinnitus.
Fortunately, there are some newer tinnitus management devices available now. And the most common way to manage your tinnitus is a modern hearing aid.
Here’s how it works:
Your hearing aid can provide you with something else to listen to. One reason why tinnitus is more noticeable as you lose your hearing is that the stays loud while everything else gets quieter. The volume of the outside world is boosted by hearing aids. That doesn’t lower the volume of your tinnitus, but it could make the ringing less obvious.
Your hearing aid can mask the sound. If your hearing loss is relatively minor, then a masking device may be the best way to treat your symptoms. A masking device essentially looks like a hearing aid. And some hearing aids can be enhanced with masking technology. Your tinnitus symptoms can be masked by sounds produced by this type of technology. Whatever sound will best mask the ringing in your ears will be used, it may be a specific tone or even white noise.
Of course, this is just a starting point. We can help you choose the best choice for you so call us for a consultation.