It can be unsettling to hear a phantom sound in your ears, called tinnitus, whether it’s popping up for only a moment or settling in for the long run. There are a few different types of tinnitus and understanding which one you’re dealing with can help point you toward the right treatment.
The Two Main Categories of Tinnitus
The two main categories of tinnitus include:
- Subjective. Subjective tinnitus, where only the person experiencing it can hear the noise, accounts for approximately 99% of cases. It can come and go or ring constantly, and the pitch, tone or volume may vary. Many people describe subjective tinnitus as a buzzing, ringing or hissing sound. Common causes of subjective tinnitus include hearing loss, loud noise exposure and ototoxic medicines (medicines that damage the inner ear).
- Objective. Accounting for the other 1% of cases, objective tinnitus is audible to others. Your hearing specialist may be able to use a stethoscope to hear the noise. It’s usually caused by physical sources in the body—like muscle spasms, abnormal blood flow or middle ear issues. Pulsatile tinnitus, presenting as a rhythmic thumping or swooshing, is one of the most common forms of objective tinnitus.
What Can I Do To Minimize Tinnitus?
Subjective tinnitus has no known cure, but there are ways you can minimize the ringing’s impact on your life:
- Hearing aids. When tinnitus is tied to hearing loss, hearing aids can help by amplifying external sounds or using built-in masking features to reduce the perception of ringing. They’re a convenient tool you can wear anywhere—from home to Detour Coffee—without interruption.
- Sound therapy. Calming noise machines can help distract from the ringing.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A mental health professional can use CBT to help you manage emotional reactions and reduce the distress tinnitus causes.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT). TRT uses a mix of sound therapy and counseling to retrain the brain’s response to the ringing.
Providers can often treat objective tinnitus with medication or surgery, depending on the cause. For example, if low iron (anemia) causes a swooshing sound in your ear, your provider may prescribe iron supplements to reduce the noise.
Why Should I Address My Tinnitus?
Tinnitus can take a toll on your focus, mood, sleep and mental health. Knowing which type you have and what might be causing it is the first step toward relief.
If you’ve been brushing off that constant buzzing or ringing, don’t wait longer to seek help. Contact ENT Specialists Of Northern Virginia today to schedule an evaluation with one of our hearing specialists.