Tinnitus is nothing new. But perhaps it’s new to you, like a loud used car you can’t return. Usually, though not always, tinnitus reveals itself as a ceaseless buzzing or ringing in the ears. Sometimes, the sound is quite overwhelming. Regardless of how tinnitus is experienced by you, this point is most likely true: you are most likely looking for new ways of handling your tinnitus if it’s something that’s troubling you.
In that, you’re lucky because while tinnitus doesn’t yet have a universal cure, there are a few novel therapies that can help you manage symptoms. Certain of those therapies even concern your tongue.
Newest Approaches to Tinnitus
Possibly the most novel tinnitus therapy that we’ve seen appears to offer a lot of potential, even if it sounds a little unusual initially. This device, designed at the Trinity College School of Medicine in Dublin, stimulates both the tongue and ear. Bi-modal neurostimulation is the technical term for this approach.
As outlined by the first tests of this device, the results were pretty impressive. 12 weeks was about the duration that most individuals were treated. Those same people detected a substantial reduction in their tinnitus symptoms, and the results lasted up to twelve months. But this type of therapy is still in the testing phase and not generally available yet.
What Can I do Now to Get Tinnitus Relief?
Regrettably, it will probably be quite some time before novel treatments such as this are broadly available. So how can you control your tinnitus right now?
Luckily, there are some newer tinnitus management devices available now. And one of the best new ways to manage tinnitus is something you’ve likely already heard of: your hearing aid.
Here’s the way it works:
Everyday sounds are boosted by hearing aids. When you start losing your hearing, external get quieter and that can make the internal sounds of tinnitus become louder. A hearing aid can boost the volume on the rest of the audio spectrum. By boosting the volume of external sounds, your tinnitus sounds will often disappear into the background.
Your hearing aid can mask the sound. A masking device might be the way to go if your hearing loss is mild. A masking device basically looks like a hearing aid. And many hearing aids can be enhanced with masking technology. This technology will emit sounds designed to mask your tinnitus symptoms. Whatever sound will best mask the ringing in your ears will be used, it may be a specific tone or even white noise.
Obviously, this is only a starting point. We can show you devices that work best with tinnitus. Contact us.