Things to Expect from your ENT Doctor for your Tinnitus Treatment

If you are experiencing sound in your ears that do not have any external source and may be disrupting your life, you may be suffering from tinnitus. Many people say that the noise is like a ringing that only people with the tinnitus condition suffer from. Many people also describe the sound as hissing, buzzing, chirping or even whistling. Almost 20% of the total population of Americans suffer from this condition. While in some the condition clears up on its own, others can hear the sound consistently over a period of time that can disrupt their lives to a great extent.

If you are thinking of meeting with an ENT doctor to treat you, he will try to determine the cause of the symptoms. Sometimes the hearing problem can be due to age or a vascular condition. Other times, it can be due to exposure to loud noises overtime such as working in a noisy environment and using tools that produces loud noises such as chainsaws, heavy equipment or firearms. The younger generation too can suffer from hearing loss due to music headphones that are turned up loud. Many times, head and neck injuries, build-up of excessive ear wax or medication to treat different conditions can also lead to hearing loss. The ENT doctor will determine the source to make it easier for him to decide the treatment accordingly for it to be successful.

Once the source has been determined, the doctor will decide on the remedy in one or a combination of two or many of the following ways –

• Hearing Aids – Hearing aids are the best treatment for tinnitus if you are also suffering from partial hearing loss. The hearing aid works as a distraction that helps your hearing system to focus on the external acoustics that you would like to hear and coming from outside rather than what is coming from inside your head.

• Sound Machines – Sound machines produces sounds that are commonly found in the environment such as the sound of the falling rain, the waves striking the shore or even babbling brook. Many people also prefer the white noise. This treatment is especially useful for people who find it difficult to sleep at night because of the constant ringing in the ear even at night.

• Stress Reduction – Tinnitus is often worsen due to people suffering from it taking too much of stress. The ENT doctor may prescribe small doses of anti-anxiety medications to help manage the symptoms of tinnitus. Even exercise and relaxation therapy seems to work for many patients. This treatment works by allowing the sufferer to focus on something else other than the distracting sound coming from their brains.

When it comes to seeking treatment for tinnitus, it is important to find a Piedmont ENT doctor that you know is experienced and have the knowledge in different techniques for treatment. You also need to ensure that the doctor you are working with is easy to work with and makes you feel comfortable and do not stress you out as it can make the condition worse.