Tinnitus Treatment Galway

Though the common misconception about tinnitus is that it is a disease, tinnitus is a medical condition characterized by persistent ringing in one or both ears that can only be heard by the affected individual. Many who suffer from tinnitus describe the annoying sound as ringing in the ear, but a whistling, hissing, buzzing, or pulsing sound is also possible. For some, these sounds come and go. But most are not that lucky, and will experience symptoms 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These phantom sounds may cause only a slight annoyance, or they may severely disrupt everyday life. More than 1 in 7 adults in the EU have tinnitus. Extrapolating to the overall population, approximately 65 million adults in EU28 have tinnitus, 26 million have bothersome tinnitus and 4 million have severe tinnitus.

There are several causes, with the most common being exposure to loud noise for a prolonged period. In this case, your hearing may be temporarily or permanently damaged, depending upon the severity of the sound. We cannot always tell whether your temporary damage will become permanent, but tinnitus is usually representative of an inner-ear problem. Tinnitus research is ongoing, and the mechanisms that cause tinnitus in the brain and inner ear are being more extensively studied. Some probable causes are:

Hearing loss In rare cases, tinnitus may be caused by a blood vessel disorder, resulting in pulsatile tinnitus. This type of tinnitus may be caused by a head or neck tumour, a build-up of cholesterol in the circulatory system, high blood pressure, turbulent blood flow, or malformation of the capillaries surrounding the ear. The result is a tinnitus that sends out pulsing signals in conjunction with the flow of your heartbeat.

Is There a Cure?

There is currently no cure for tinnitus. I have suffered from tinnitus myself for over 25 years and I can certainly pass on useful coping techniques. I will work with you to identify potential causes for your specific symptoms, and there may be a way to reduce the impact of tinnitus on your daily life. In some instances, changes to your diet or medications may help with your symptoms. Relaxation methods, such as meditation, can also help alleviate the constant ringing in your ears.

What Are the Treatment Options for Tinnitus?

Diagnostic testing and an evaluation by an otologist will rule out possible medical factors that could be causing or contributing to your tinnitus. Because your tinnitus symptoms are personal and unique in nature, an in-depth evaluation will help us create a specialised treatment plan for you. Although there is not a single cure for tinnitus, audiologists have the knowledge and experience to provide you with treatment methods that can help lessen the impact that tinnitus has on your life.

There are several tinnitus treatment options, including:

Hearing Aids:

The top treatment for those who experience hearing loss, which can both improve overall hearing ability and eliminate the perception of ringing as your brain is stimulated with more sounds around you. In many cases, the distressing combination of tinnitus and hearing loss can be relieved by prescribing hearing aids.

Masking Devices:

An electronic device called a masker may be worn to distract from the ringing sensation. Maskers fit in the ear similarly to hearing aids and produce low-level sounds. In addition, bedside sound generators and other devices can also help remove the perception of ringing.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy:

A therapeutic process that has given relief to many patients. Our process is a combination of sound therapy and counselling, which alters the brain’s neural signals and weakens the perception of tinnitus, allowing you to live your daily life far more peacefully.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:

A type of counselling that helps to change the body’s emotional reaction to tinnitus by altering negative thought patterns and helping to relieve stress.

If you would like to schedule a tinnitus evaluation appointment with me in my Galway clinic, simply complete the form at the end of this web page and I will contact you to arrange an appointment date and time.