Tinnitus Treatment Options
Patients contact our office nearly every single day looking for treatment for tinnitus. One of the first things to impress on a tinnitus sufferer is that tinnitus is a symptom and not a condition. The tinnitus is happening because of something else, and the something else is what we have to treat. A tinnitus treatment must alway begin with a thorough tinnitus evaluation. This will allow us to determine the underlying causes for the tinnitus and thus the treatment approach that is appropriate. Based on that approach, you may find any of the following techniques included in your tinnitus treatment plan:
Hearing Aids - Part of the tinnitus evaluation includes a complete hearing test, which will determine if you have any hearing loss. Hearing loss is the number one most common cause for tinnitus. There are different treatment options for hearing loss, but most typically the fix is to wear a hearing aid. Most patients with tinnitus and untreated hearing loss find that after wearing hearing aids, tinnitus goes away.
Obstruction Removal - In some cases an obstruction like earwax or hair in the ear can cause tinnitus-like symptoms. Visual inspection of the ear canal during the audiological evaluation will rule out this possibility. At Peachtree Hearing, we use a high-tech video-otoscope to visualize any obstruction in the ear canal. If the true cause of tinnitus is simply an obstruction, a safe and comfortable removal in our clinic is the only "quick fix" or magic bullet to relieve tinnitus.
Medical Review - A full medical review is part of every tinnitus evaluation and treatment. Dr. Wikoff will review any underlying conditions, changes to your health, medication, and lifestyle. This information is important in building out a fuller treatment plan.
Masking Devices - Masking devices can be worn with or without hearing aids. They generate low level noise to "mask" or drown out the sound perceived from tinnitus.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy - This therapy is typically composed of wearing a masking device while at the same time receiving counseling from the audiologist.
Medication - In some cases medications like anti-depressants can be prescribed and have been shown to be effective in the treatment of tinnitus.
Diet Change - Changes in diet are often recommended to those who are suffering with tinnitus. Certain foods for instance which are high in sodium may increase the quality or intensity of tinnitus.
Supplements and Essential Oils - Certain dietary supplements have been shown to improve tinnitus. Essential oils have been shown to improve the mindset which has a great effect on tinnitus as well.
Lifestyle Changes - Eliminating stress is just one of the lifestyle changes one can make which is shown to be effective in treating tinnitus.
Why Should You See Dr. Wikoff?
Dr. Wikoff has been successfully diagnosing and treating tinnitus for 10 years. She has dedicated her life to the study and care of hearing. She holds an undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Maryland. She also received her Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine’s Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences. Additionally Dr. Wikoff is on the board of directors at the American Tinnitus Association. She has attended multiple courses and workshops specifically on tinnitus, including the International Tinnitus Research Initiative in Valencia, Spain. She is a trained in Neuromonics, received the American Academy of Audiology Scholar Award 2014 - 2015, and she is a member of the Tinnitus Practitioners Association.
If you are in the metro-Atlanta area and are suffering from tinnitus, don't wait any longer to call Peachtree Hearing and see Dr. Wikoff.
