Tinnitus: Ringing/Buzzing in Your Ears

Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, roaring, or music sound in the ears. You can have tinnitus in one ear or in both ears. It’s relatively common and usually harmless. However, sometimes tinnitus is so bothersome it can affect someone’s ability to lead a normal life. Tinnitus can be caused by exposure to loud noise, ear-related problems like sinus or ear infections, or very rarely, more serious conditions such as a brain tumor or nerve problem. To learn more about tinnitus, click here.

Hyperacusis: Sensitivity to Loud Sounds

Hyperacusis is an extreme sensitivity to loud sound. Someone with hyperacusis may find everyday sounds intolerable or even painful. It can be caused by loud noise exposure, a head injury, migraines, or something else. It occurs more often in individuals with hearing loss and tinnitus. To learn more about hyperacusis, click here.

Misophonia: Strong Dislike of Certain Sounds

Misophonia is a disorder which causes some people to have a very strong negative reaction to certain sounds. The most common sounds related to misophonia are ‘body’ sounds like chewing, breathing, finger tapping, or nail clipping. Some people with misophonia may feel anger, disgust, fear, or panic when they hear these sounds, and often feel the need to leave the room where their ‘trigger’ sounds are present. There is no specific cause of misophonia, although it usually is associated with a strong emotional response. To learn more about misophonia, click here.

How is tinnitus evaluated?

First, we’ll conduct a thorough case history and ask you to complete a questionnaire that asks questions about how disruptive your tinnitus is to your life. Next, we’ll check your hearing as nearly 90% of people with tinnitus also present with an underlying hearing loss. A basic hearing evaluation consists of listening to soft beeps and repeating words you hear. Next, we’ll find the pitch or ‘frequency’ of your tinnitus by presenting different pitches to you and asking you to tell us which is closest to your tinnitus. We’ll also match the loudness of your tinnitus to see how loudly you perceive it.

How is hyperacusis evaluated?

To evaluate hyperacusis, we’ll first conduct a thorough case history and may also ask you to complete a questionnaire asking about your sound sensitivity. Because hyperacusis is related to other auditory issues, it’s important we check your hearing to rule out other hearing disorders. A basic hearing evaluation consists of listening to soft beeps and repeating words you hear. Next, we’ll find your tolerance levels for loud sounds and determine how loud is too loud for you. Because we know loudness sensitivity can be overwhelming, we’ll be as accommodating and careful as possible to avoid causing you any distress during testing.

How is misophonia evaluated?

First, we’ll discuss which sounds act as ‘triggers’ for your misophonia and complete a thorough case history. We may ask you to complete a questionnaire that asks for more detail about what kinds of sounds are bothersome, and how you respond to trigger sounds. Because misophonia is related to other auditory issues, it’s important we check your hearing to rule out other hearing disorders. A basic hearing evaluation consists of listening to soft beeps and repeating words you hear.

Tinnitus Treatment Options

Tinnitus can affect different people in different ways. The primary treatment method for most cases of bothersome tinnitus uses Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. This results-based treatment uses low-level sounds and counseling to allow the brain to habituate, or get used to, the tinnitus. The goal is for you to hear your tinnitus when you focus on it, are able to ignore it when you’re not thinking about it, and when you do hear it, it’s not bothersome, just a neutral sound in the background. You don’t want to mask the tinnitus completely as you may become dependent on the masking sound. Directive counseling and sound enrichment therapy with your audiologist are your long-term steps for success. Sometimes, with the use of hearing aids that include sound generators, patients find they no longer can hear their tinnitus. Cognitive behavioral therapy is another treatment method proven to be effective.

For some, tinnitus isn’t as severe and doesn’t interfere with their daily lives, but it is a nuisance. For less bothersome cases, sometimes sleeping with a white noise machine, diet changes, and free phone apps can be helpful. Dr. Magann Faivre will talk to you about your goals and work together to create the right treatment plan for you.