Tinnitus is nothing new. But it may be the first time you have had to cope with it. A constant buzzing or ringing is usually how tinnitus manifests but not always. Often, the sound is very overwhelming. Symptoms differ considerably, but this is the point: if tinnitus is bothering you, you might be looking for some new ways to control your symptoms.
Fortunately, new therapies and treatment options are being formulated that aren’t cures for tinnitus but can help you manage it. Certain of those therapies even concern your tongue.
The Newest Way to Handle Tinnitus
One of the latest treatments for tinnitus seems somewhat unusual at first but does appear to show some promise. This device, developed at the Trinity College School of Medicine in Dublin, stimulates both the tongue and ear. Bi-modal neurostimulation is the technical term for this method.
Based on the first tests of this device, the results were fairly impressive. 12 weeks was about the duration that most people were treated. Over those 12 months, those same individuals noted a dramatic decrease in tinnitus symptoms. But until the testing phase is completed it won’t be generally available.
How Can I Find Tinnitus Relief Now?
Naturally, it takes a while for technology to go from research and development to patient accessibility. So perhaps you’re curious about what can be done now to help manage your tinnitus.
Fortunately, there are some newer tinnitus management devices on the market now. And one of the best new ways to manage tinnitus is something you’ve most likely already heard of: your hearing aid.
It works like this:
External sounds are enhanced by hearing aids. When you start losing your hearing, external get quieter and that can make the internal sounds of tinnitus become louder. The volume of the exterior world is boosted by hearing aids. That doesn’t change the volume of your tinnitus, but it could make the ringing less noticeable.
There is a sound masking device similar to a modern hearing aid. If your hearing loss is fairly moderate, then a masking device might be the best way to address your symptoms. A hearing aid has a similar appearance to a masking device. And masking technology can be incorporated into modern hearing aids. Your tinnitus symptoms can be masked by sounds produced by this kind of technology. Sometimes this will be a tone, in other situations, it may be some white noise. Whatever will best hide the humming in your ears.
Needless to say, this is only a starting point. We can demonstrate devices that work best for tinnitus. Give us a call.