Tinnitus Treatment, and is Complete Recovery Possible?

Published at 29 October 2024

Many people suffer from tinnitus, which is the feeling of hearing sounds in the ear or head. This tinnitus may be sudden, intermittent or continuous, and varies in severity from one person to another. It is often mild, but in rare cases it can be very annoying. (1)

Consulting an ENT doctor is the first step to treating tinnitus. The doctor will determine the cause of the tinnitus and provide appropriate treatment, which may include the use of medications, assistive devices, or cognitive behavioral therapy. (1)

Learn more about tinnitus treatment and the possibility of complete recovery from it in this article.

What is the treatment for tinnitus?

There is no cure for tinnitus. The available medications and treatments only help relieve discomfort; in fact, the ability to cure tinnitus depends on the cause. Sometimes the condition can be treated by removing the cause, for example, cleaning the ear when wax accumulates in it can help recovery, but in many cases, the cause is a chronic condition, such as: hearing loss caused by aging, in which case the symptoms may last for months or even years, but appropriate treatments can help relieve them. (2)

It is important to know that the available tinnitus treatments are experimental, and what works for one person may not work for another, so the person may need to try more than one method, until he finds what suits him. Available solutions to relieve tinnitus include the following:

Treatment of the cause

Tinnitus may be caused by wax accumulation in the ear, inflammation of the middle ear, a side effect of some medications, or even inflammation of the jaw joints, and treating these conditions helps get rid of it. (2)

Hearing aids

They are very useful if a person has tinnitus with hearing loss, as these headphones amplify external sounds, which helps improve hearing and hide the sound of tinnitus at the same time. (3)

Sound therapy

This treatment depends on exposure to sounds that help hide the sound of tinnitus, distract from it, or get used to it, which helps reduce the severity of its discomfort. (3)

Hearing aids, smart device applications, and modern technology can be used to emit white sounds such as the sound of nature, waves, rain, or even turning on a fan or TV; to distract the mind from the sound of tinnitus, and sometimes it also helps to sleep. (3)

Getting used to the sound of tinnitus (Tinnitus retraining therapy) is also a useful treatment that is based on the idea of accustoming the brain to sounds similar to internal tinnitus. This is done by listening to these sounds for long periods, as the brain gradually gets used to their presence and ignores them. As a result, the person feels as if these sounds do not exist at all. (3)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

It is the only treatment that has proven effective in improving the quality of life of tinnitus sufferers and alleviating its symptoms. It consists of psychological counseling sessions by a psychologist who teaches the patient ways to cope with tinnitus. (4)

Medications

They do not treat tinnitus itself, but they alleviate the problems associated with it. For example, the doctor may prescribe nortriptyline or sertraline to treat depression, or melatonin supplements to help sleep at night. (4)

Self-treatments

A person can help himself to alleviate the problem of tinnitus in his life or prevent it from getting worse. Useful suggestions include: (1)(5)

Reduce exposure to very loud sounds, but avoid complete silence on the other hand, because it increases the loudness of the inner ear tinnitus.
Find useful ways to relax and calm down, such as yoga, deep breathing, meditation, etc.
Try to occupy the mind as much as possible, whether with work, household chores, or even starting a new hobby, for example, many people find that tinnitus decreases while drawing or writing.
Exercise regularly; because it is a useful way to get rid of the discomfort of tinnitus, and it also helps with sleep.
Try acupuncture from accredited centers.
Some people find that certain foods or drinks may affect the severity of their tinnitus, so you can try giving up this food for about two weeks to see if there is an improvement, and if there is an improvement, you can try for an additional two weeks, and stay away from this type of food after being completely sure of the connection between them, but in fact there is no evidence that the type of food eaten affects tinnitus.

Don't worry about annoying tinnitus anymore! Our distinguished medical team in the ENT Clinic at Al-Ahli Hospital is ready to help you overcome this condition and return to a life free of disturbance and stress.