Tinnitus Treatment at Hearing Healthcare Centers in NC

What Is Tinnitus

Often described as an inescapable ringing sound, tinnitus is a continuous sound which generally maintains the same level of loudness and frequency. While many people experience tinnitus as a ringing sound, others hear static, buzzing, whistling, roaring, and other continuous sounds.

For someone who has not experienced tinnitus, it can be difficult to understand who simply hearing something can cause a problem since most forms of tinnitus can only be heard by the person struggling with tinnitus. However, tinnitus can impact your quality of life, as the continual sound can make sleeping difficult, can overpower your ability to hear other things and other life-altering issues.

Types Of Tinnitus

There are multiple types of tinnitus which can be experienced. Knowing what type you have can help you seek the correct treatment to manage your tinnitus. Currently, tinnitus is categorized into four different types:
● Limited Tinnitus - Most people will experience limited tinnitus at some point in their lives. This form of tinnitus only lasts for a few minutes up to a couple of days, but will go away with a little time. However, limited tinnitus should be a warning sign to you, as it indicates that something was much too loud for your unprotected ears.● Somatic Tinnitus - A less common form of tinnitus, somatic tinnitus is connected to your sensory system. When the sensory system in some people senses pain in the face, neck, head, arms, or other areas in the upper body, it can act as a trigger for their tinnitus. This type of tinnitus will often go away when the pain has been addressed.● Objective Tinnitus - One of the most dangerous types of tinnitus, objective tinnitus is the only variation which can be heard by someone who is not experiencing the tinnitus. Generally, a hearing specialist will be needed to check for objective tinnitus, but if one of our specialists diagnoses you with this type of tinnitus, you will need to see a medical professional immediately. Objective tinnitus can be a sign that something is very wrong with your health, whether it deals with the physical structures in your ear or other health issues.● Subjective Tinnitus - For most people who experience long-term tinnitus, they are dealing with subjective tinnitus, which can only be heard by the person experiencing the tinnitus. This form of tinnitus has no cure but can be managed with the right treatments.

Ways Tinnitus Is Perceived

Along with different types of tinnitus, there are different ways tinnitus can be perceived by the person living with the tinnitus.
● Tonal Tinnitus - Most common of all the tinnitus perceptions, tonal tinnitus is heard as a continuous frequency. There can be more than one sound, but they will remain at the same pitch and volume. This type of tinnitus perception is usually found with those dealing with subjective tinnitus.● Musical Tinnitus - Rarely found, musical tinnitus is perceived as singing or looping music, with the same musical bars being repeated.● Pulsatile Tinnitus - Generally found in connection with somatic tinnitus, the perception of pulsatile tinnitus has the sounds coming in pulsing waves. Some people find this perception of tinnitus often pulses in time with their heartbeat.

What Causes Tinnitus

There are three basic ways which tinnitus can become trigger—sound-damage, medication, or health-related issues. Within these groups, there are more variations how tinnitus can be triggered.

Noise-Induced Tinnitus