Tinnitus is the term used to describe the condition of having ringing, buzzing, or noise in the ear or originating from the head. The word tinnitus is Latin and literally means ringing.

Treating the Cause

Tinnitus can be caused by many things, and is usually a symptom of an underlying condition. The treatment for your particular tinnitus will depend on the condition that is causing it, the severity, any accompanying issues such as hearing loss, and the impact the tinnitus has on daily activities.

Common causes of tinnitus include:

Stress and depression
Hearing loss
Exposure to loud noises
Earwax buildup or blockages
Abnormal bone growth in the ear
Meniere’s disease
Head or neck injuries
Benign tumor of the cranial nerve

In order to find out the root cause of your tinnitus, a medical history and examination is needed.

What Treatments are Available?

Depending on the cause of your tinnitus and other factors of your tinnitus, several treatments are available primarily involving acoustic therapy or sound therapy. Sound therapy makes use of sounds to help re-train the brain and diminish the impact of the tinnitus. No medications have been approved specifically for the treatment of tinnitus.

After treatment has taken place, further maintenance is important. This may include management of associated health problems or ongoing therapies to support health and manage tinnitus.