Tinnitus is described by those who experience it as a persistent ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in the ears. But is there an effective treatment for this irritating condition? Here’s what you need to know.

Did you know the American Tinnitus Association estimates that 50 million people in the US experience tinnitus? Those with the condition report a ringing or buzzing sound in their ears that doesn’t seem to go away.

While there is no guaranteed cure for tinnitus, there are several ways the negative symptoms of the condition can be reduced and, in some cases, all but eliminated.

Effective treatments for tinnitus

Any effective treatment must account for all factors potentially contributing to tinnitus— including lifestyle, diet and of course hearing health. That’s why the best place to start is a free consultation with a hearing care professional near you.

Your hearing care professional may recommend any of the following tinnitus treatment plans:

Hearing aids
Hearing aids are often reported as an effective treatment by those suffering from tinnitus. This is because tinnitus is often connected to a more generalized condition of hearing loss that includes the loss of most ambient sounds. By restoring those ambient sounds to an individual (if the hearing loss is in the same frequency range as the tinnitus), hearing aids can effectively eliminate the tinnitus. Click here to explore Beltone’s range of hearing aid styles.

Sound relaxation techniques
To supplement and support the tinnitus relief offered by hearing aids, Beltone created the Tinnitus Calmer app. This app uses simple and customizable sound therapy, together with interactive experiences, to manage your tinnitus through calming and relaxation. Available on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices, the app allows you to customize and layer sounds based on your relaxation preferences.

Annual hearing screening
Because there are so many possible causes of tinnitus, it’s important to start any treatment plan with a comprehensive examination to narrow down the possible influences, which may include:

• Exposure to loud noises such as power equipment
• A build-up of earwax or earwax impaction
• Diabetes-related sensorineural hearing loss
• Ototoxic (toxic to the ear) medications
• And more

If you believe yourself to be living with tinnitus and are seeking relief, Beltone can help you.