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Tinnitus Management

Tinnitus is a disorder described as a ringing or constant humming in ears (or even a constant ringing in one ear) that occurs without a trigger from external auditory sounds. The sound can also be described as buzzing, hissing, humming, roaring, whistling, cricket-like or pulsatile. Tinnitus is a widespread symptom with 40 percent of the adults experiencing tinnitus, and one to two percent of those patients will find their tinnitus debilitating.

Audiologists at Hearing Unlimited can provide excellent tinnitus management and treatment based on their knowledge of hearing and hearing loss, hearing measurement, and habilitation of hearing loss. We offer an extensive array of both subjective and objective diagnostic audiological tests to help you understand and alleviate the source of your tinnitus, improving your quality of life.

Hearing Unlimited has been providing unsurpassed hearing health care to residents of the Southwestern Pennsylvania area since 1949. If you’re ready to start receiving the best tinnitus treatment in greater Pittsburgh, give us a call at 412-347-5550 or book an appointment online.

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Causes and Treatment Options For Tinnitus

Tinnitus can be an extremely bothersome condition, but our audiologists are well equipped to diagnose and treat it. We conduct any combination of standard hearing tests, movement tests, and imaging tests to determine possible causes of your tinnitus. Psychoacoustic matching procedures are also used to measure the loudness of the ringing in your ears, so we can customize a treatment plan to your needs. 

Our team will examine your ears, head, and neck to look for possible causes of tinnitus. Testing options also include a standard hearing test; movement tests (to see how they do or do not affect your symptoms); and imaging tests. We will also measure the loudness of tinnitus from a range of 1 (low loudness) to 10 (high loudness) using psychoacoustic matching tinnitus sound therapy procedures (measurements of tinnitus pitch and loudness). Additionally, anxiety from tinnitus is measured using a questionnaire. 

Contact us to learn more about our tinnitus treatment options! We make sure that your consultation will be worth the time. As part of your tinnitus exam, we’ll work with you to determine the best tinnitus therapy for your individual circumstances. Schedule an appointment online or call 412-347-5550 today with one of our providers at a location near you.

The Best Hearing Aids for Tinnitus

Although there is no single cure for tinnitus, there are several treatments that may give you some relief. Not every treatment works for everyone, so the team at Hearing Unlimited will work with you to determine the best treatment for tinnitus in your unique ears.

Some of the most effective tinnitus treatments we provide include:

  • Hearing Aids. Most people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing aids create a dual benefit of enhancing hearing and masking or covering up the tinnitus. The majority of patients with tinnitus receive partial or complete relief from their tinnitus with the use of hearing aids.
  • Cochlear Implants. An electronic medical device can be implanted to replicate the function of the damaged inner ear. The Cochlear (inner ear) implant has been shown to improve or even eliminate tinnitus by up to 95 percent.
  • Maskers. Maskers are small electronic devices that look like hearing aids and are tuned to generate a sound that masks or covers up the tinnitus. Like hearing aids, they may provide relief from the tinnitus, but will not enhance hearing and may interfere with a patient’s ability to understand speech. Many types of devices - such as fans, radios and sound generators -can be used as tinnitus maskers. are also available in behind-the-ear and in-the-ear styles from a few hearing aid manufacturers. These devices can even be incorporated into a conventional hearing aid (combination units).

As part of tinnitus care, it’s also important to consider your mental health. If you worry that your diagnosis is causing stress, anxiety, depression, or other similar and troubling symptoms, don’t hesitate to bring it up to your audiologist during your consultation, and speak with your primary care provider about your symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common cause of tinnitus?

The cause of tinnitus is not completely understood yet. Tinnitus is not a disease but rather a sign of something else. It can be due to flaws in your hearing system, misfiring in the brain, or even due to prescription medications. The most common cause of tinnitus, however, is hearing loss. Current theories suggest that when hearing declines, the brain can develop its own noise to make up for the lack of sound signals coming from the ear.

How does tinnitus relate to mental health?

New research has found that many people report the onset of tinnitus after experiencing depression or significant stress or anxiety. It is essential to identify the symptoms and see an audiologist for a full evaluation to investigate possible causes.

What types of substances are known to cause tinnitus?

Many medicines -- including aspirin, Aleve, Advil, and Indocin – can cause tinnitus due to an effect known as ototoxicity. Likewise, some antibiotics, such as gentamicin and erythromycin, also can induce tinnitus. Foods often implicated in turning up the tinnitus volume include those with caffeine and salt – and Tonic water, due to its quinine content, can also make Tinnitus worse.

How can I get started with the best tinnitus treatment near me?

If you’re ready to start receiving treatment and finding relief for your tinnitus, the team of audiologists at Hearing Unlimited is here to help. We make scheduling your first appointment easy -- just use our online tool to select a day and time that works for you. We’re also proud to offer tinnitus treatment through our teleaudiology services.