Understanding Musical Tinnitus

No, musical tinnitus isn’t the name of a new instrument or musical piece. It’s a health condition that affects the ears. It is an ear condition that has affected a lot of people. And, contrary to what some might think, musical tinnitus isn’t age restricted. However, it is more common in senior citizens. In this guide, we’ll be explaining the most common causes of tinnitus and how one can deal with them. So, with that being said, let’s get right to it.

Musical Tinnitus – What Is It Exactly?

To ensure that we are all on the same page, let’s talk a bit about tinnitus. This is a condition that makes the patient hear buzzing or ringing noises when there are no sounds at all. Only the victim can hear these sounds. This really isn’t what you would call a disease. It is often a sign of another problem.

Musical tinnitus take things one step further. This one is experienced mainly by musicians. However, recent studies show that many teenagers who listen to loud, harsh music for a long time seem to develop this condition.

People with musical tinnitus often hear music being played even though there is no sound at all. This is also called musical hallucination. While this condition doesn’t cause pain (most of the time), it is very annoying. You can click here to learn more about this.

What Causes Tinnitus?

There are various things that could cause this problem. However, we’ve picked only some of the most common ones. We’ve also picked some rare causes as well.

In most cases, tinnitus is caused by loss or damage of your inner ear’s sensory hairs. This occurs mostly in aged people. However, it can also occur if an individual exposes themselves to incredibly loud noise for an extended length of time.

As a result of this, the brain changes the way it processes sound. Doctors aren’t 100% sure. However, this seemingly negative condition might just be your brain’s method of filling in sounds.

Certain medications might trigger this condition. For example, we have ibuprofen, diuretics, aspirin, and antibiotics. In many cases, these drugs are ototoxic and can damage your inner ear. This in turn, leads to tinnitus.

There are also some less common causes that only apply to a few people such as…

•             Ear Infection

•             Foreign object hitting the eardrum

•             Neck or head injury

•             Diabetes

•             Middle ear issues (Eustachian tube)

•             Heart condition

As strange as it may seem, tinnitus can occur as a result of cardiovascular problems. Some people hear sounds that match the beating of their hearts. No other person can hear the beating. If you are one of these people, you are strongly advised to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Does Tinnitus Have A Cure?

Unfortunately, no! There is no cure for Tinnitus. When you really think about it, it’s not necessarily what you would call a disease. It often acts as a sign for another problem. Depending on the level of severity, you can take your focus off the sounds. This will provide relief.

What Are The Symptoms Of This Condition?

Tinnitus can have various negative effects on people. Some individuals may experience depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritable attitude, poor work performance, and lack of concentration. People who suffer from chronic tinnitus often adjust to it over time. They have a way of removing their minds from it.

Since tinnitus itself has no cure, your best bet would be to use remedies for the after-effects of it.

Consulting A Doctor

If you are suffering from tinnitus, it is advised that you visit a doctor as soon as possible in order to identify and deal with the root cause of the problem. In most cases, the cause isn’t life-threatening. However, there is a chance that the patient has cardiovascular issues.

When you visit a doctor, they will ask certain questions. Here are some of them:

•             When did this condition first occur?

•             Are you experiencing dizziness or any loss of hearing?

•             How frequent are the sounds; intermittent or constant?

•             Have you recently been exposed to loud noises such as explosives or rock concerts?

•             Are you experiencing any pain?

After asking these questions, the doctor will also conduct certain tests. First of all, he/she will conduct a hearing test to determine how good your hearing is.

They will also thoroughly examine your torso, head, neck, and ear for internal damage that could cause tinnitus. Finally, the doctor will take some blood tests.

You can read more about the symptoms that may be a pointer to this this condition here: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156286.

Treating This Condition

As we have previously mentioned, there isn’t really a cure for tinnitus. However, there are various things you can do to ease the condition. Here are some of them:

Find The Problem

Before you can deal with a problem, you first have to know what that problem is. This is why it’s important for you to find the root cause of tinnitus. This varies from individual to individual.

In some cases, it may be a small object hitting the eardrums. It may also be a sign of ear infection. Consult a doctor to be completely sure.

Treating Tinnitus At Home

There are some little things that you can do at home to provide relief. The most common method is sound therapy. This uses external sounds to cover the sounds caused by tinnitus. You can use low background music or white noise for this.

You need to ensure that the sound you are using for therapy is pleasant to the individual. It’s important for you to note that this provides temporary relief. The effects of tinnitus will return once you end the therapy.

One sound therapy tool you are no doubt familiar is the hearing aid. This amplifies sounds in the environment and makes your ears focus on those instead of focusing on the tinnitus. We’ll discuss more about hearing aids in the next section.

Another form of therapy is TRT (tinnitus retaining therapy). Unlike regular sound therapy, TRT trains an individual’s ears to accept those abnormal sounds caused by tinnitus.

During this kind of therapy, trained professionals wear a certain kind of device which emits white noise. The professional will then conduct counseling sessions.

The success of the therapy depends greatly on the patient’s mental health and the severity of his/her condition.

Hearing Aids Explained

In this section, we’ll be explaining hearing aids in detail.

What Are Hearing Aids Anyway?

Hearing aids are small electronic device which are worn either behind or inside the ear. These devices help people with impaired hearing by amplifying certain sounds and minimizing others. This makes it easier for these people to hear in loud or quiet.

Hearing aids have three important parts: the speaker, the amplifier, and the microphone. The mic receives sounds. The sounds are then converted and sent to the amplifier. Afterwards, the amplifier boosts the sound waves and sends them to your ear via the speaker.

You can learn more about hearing aids in this article.

Do I Need Hearing Aids?

Hearing aids are built for people with conditions that impair hearing. In some cases, patients with tinnitus have to get hearing aids. Before going ahead to buy some, be sure to consult an audiologist or otolaryngologist.

These kinds of physician specialize in hearing-related issues. They will be able to advise you on whether or not you need hearing aids.

Different Hearing Aid Styles

Not all hearing aids look the same. There are 4 major types of hearing aids; BTE (behind-the-ear), ITC (in-the-canal), CIC (completely-in-canal) and ITE (in-the-ear).

CIC aids are designed to fit almost completely in the ear. They are almost hidden. This type of hearing aid is used for both mild and severe auditory problems.

ITC aids, on the other hand, are designed to match the shape and size of an individual’s ear canal. Due to their small size and lack of flexibility, canal hearing aids aren’t used many times on children or individuals with extreme cases of auditory impairment.    

Next, we have BTE aids. These come in the form of hard plastic cases connected to ear molds which are worn behind the ear. The plastic case contains all the components and electronics.

Sound is transferred through those ear molds into the ear. This type of hearing aid is one of the most common out there. It is suitable for people of all ages.

Finally, we have ITE. This type of hearing aid fits completely inside your outer ear. Similar to other hearing aids, ITEs have hard plastic cases which contain their components and electronics.

In some cases, ITEs might have an additional feature such as a telecoil. This is a magnetic coil inside the aide. It makes it easier for users to hear sounds through the aid’s circuitry instead of using the microphone.

Most of the time, children aren’t given ITEs. This is because you have to replace the plastic casings as the child’s ear grows.

Hearing Aids – Do They All Work The Same Way?

The short answer is, no. Depending on what electronics were used, two hearing aids won’t work the same way. There are two main types: digital and analog.

A traditional analog aid converts a sound wave into an electronic signal. This signal is then amplified and sent to your ear. Analog aids are specially built depending on the user. They are also programmable.

The manufacturer programs the aide according to your audiologist’s recommended specifications. The user can also program the aid to adjust to the sound in a particular location. This kind of circuitry is used in various styles of hearing aids. They are also more affordable options for those on a budget.

Digital aids, on the other hand, convert sounds into codes and amplifies them. This code contains information on the loudness and pitch of the sounds. This code can be programmed to amplify or decrease certain sounds depending on the user’s needs.

This gives audiologists much more flexibility when adjusting the aids to fit the sounds in certain environments. In addition to this, digital aids can focus on a particular sound in a particular location. Similar to analog aids, they are used in various styles of hearing aids. However, they are a bit more expensive.

Which One Should I Get?

In order to find the type of hearing aid that would best suit you, it is advised that you consult an audiologist. Audiologists will be able to properly diagnose your condition and determine the best solution for it.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Your lifestyle can greatly affect your auditory system. It’s better to not have this problem at all than to start looking for a cure. There are some simple steps you can take to prevent this problem.

You can start by reducing the volume of your listening devices to a more moderate level. Loud volumes are the most common causes of poor hearing. Avoid staying in very loud environments for a long period of time. It will play a great part in preserving your hearing.

Also try maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy and getting enough sleep doesn’t necessarily improve hearing. However, it will reduce the chances of developing tinnitus.

Dealing With Tinnitus

The previous section focused mostly on prevention. Now let’s talk about how individuals suffering from this problem can deal with it. Here are some useful tips that will help a lot.

Let Your Ears Take A Break

If you just recently started experiencing tinnitus, you are strongly advised to avoid exposure to loud sounds for about a week. If possible, avoid loud music completely for that duration of time. This will give your auditory system time to recover.

Protect Your Ears

Another way to properly manage this problem is to get some good earplugs. You can try getting some from Audien Hearing or other reputable suppliers. These earplugs protect your ears from loud sounds that could aggravate the tinnitus.

If you go regularly to places with loud noise such as music concerts or festivals, remember to take your earplugs with you. They won’t do you a bit of good if you forget them at home.

Conclusion

Despite having no apparent cure, tinnitus can be managed. By avoiding loud sounds and environments, you can ease the condition. Depending on the severity of an individual’s tinnitus, it will go away by itself if you avoid loud sounds.

There are various ways of dealing with this condition. However, remember that it’s always better to prevent it from occurring at all.