When someone develops tinnitus, a constant phantom ringing in the ears that ranges in severity from slightly annoying to downright distressing, they have many questions. At Heroes of Hearing, treating this condition is one of our specialties. One of the first things people ask us is, "How do you get rid of tinnitus?" The short answer is that in most cases you don't. There's no known cure for tinnitus. The good news, however, is there have never been so many options when it comes to managing this headache of a problem.

The journey from noticing you have tinnitus to barely noticing the clamor starts with a visit to your hearing instrument specialist. They can perform an exam to determine whether you actually have tinnitus. Next, your hearing instrument specialist will help determine whether your tinnitus is a temporary issue or a permanent condition. In some cases, tinnitus is caused by solvable medical issues like:

Tinnitus is often a side effect of hearing loss. In some cases, the condition is resolved once a patient is fitted with hearing aids. In cases where the inner din continues, it can be helped by some cutting-edge technology, such as hearing aids equipped with tinnitus management tools.

One of our favorite such solutions is Starkey's Multiflex Tinnitus Technology. All models of Starkey hearing aids can be equipped with MTT so they emit a sound stimulus that's customized to best offset your particular case of tinnitus. A custom approach is important because every case of tinnitus is different. Just a few of the noises people hear in their ears include:

Once you've approved your tailored sound profile, it's programmed into your Starkey hearing aids. Over time spent wearing hearing aids equipped with Multiflex Tinnitus Technology, your awareness of your tinnitus will lessen, allowing you to focus on what really matters.

We've also had tinnitus patients say they've found significant relief through the Levo System. It's a sound-generation system that retrains your brain while you sleep, helping you learn to ignore the sounds of tinnitus. The Levo System involves a custom sound profile, created collaboratively by you and your hearing instrument specialist, that you can upload to your smartphone or another device. You listen to it at night with the help of specially-fitted Levo earbuds.

Like many chronic conditions, tinnitus - particularly unmanaged tinnitus - can really wear a person down. Common side effects of tinnitus include:

A good hearing instrument specialist will provide counseling regarding tinnitus, and share some suggestions on how to mitigate the problem. Many tinnitus patients choose to seek out additional counseling. While there are many therapeutic modalities out there, cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the best for tackling tinnitus. It can help you reframe your thoughts surrounding the condition in a more positive way.

People with tinnitus sometimes find themselves in a loud loop. Having tinnitus causes stress, while stress makes tinnitus worse. Engaging in mindfulness practices, whether active or meditative, can help you better cope with the stress of tinnitus. Just a few of these activities include:

At Heroes of Hearing, we believe everyone deserves a chance to hear well and enjoy peace of mind. Whether you're dealing with the inner din of tinnitus or simply want to get fitted with hearing aids, contact us today for your appointment.