Sound Therapy for Tinnitus: Effectiveness and Management

That recurring sound that you hear but nobody else does? It's not all in your head. You may be one of the estimated 50 million-plus people who suffer from tinnitus. The mysterious condition causes a sound in the head with no external source. The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating.

Examples of tinnitus sounds.

Understanding Tinnitus

There are many possible causes of tinnitus. Long-term exposure to loud noises is often blamed. But other sources include middle ear problems like an infection, a tumor or cyst pinching nerves in the ear, or something as simple as earwax buildup. Even old-fashioned aging can lead to tinnitus, which is common in people older than age 55.

"Neurons (nerve cells) in areas of the brain that process sound make up for this loss of input by increasing their sensitivity," says Daniel Polley, director of the Lauer Tinnitus Research Center at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear. "The sensitivity knobs are turned up so high that neurons begin to respond to the activity of other nearby neurons. This creates the perception of a sound that does not exist in the physical environment.

At times, everyone experiences the perception of a phantom sound. If it only lasts for a few seconds or minutes, it's nothing to worry about. However, if it pulsates in sync with your heart rate, it's definitely something to get checked out by a physician, says Polley.

There is no cure for tinnitus, but it can become less noticeable over time. Still, there are ways to ease symptoms and help tune out the noise and minimize its impact. One often-suggested strategy is sound therapy. It uses external noise to alter your perception of or reaction to tinnitus. Research suggests sound therapy can effectively suppress tinnitus in some people.

Sound Therapy Techniques

Sound Therapy for Tinnitus Relief

Let's explore some of the primary sound therapy techniques used to manage tinnitus:

Masking

This exposes a person to background noise, like white noise, nature sounds, or ambient sounds, to mask tinnitus noise or distract attention away from it. Listening to sound machines or music through headphones or other devices can offer temporary breaks from the perception of tinnitus. Household items like electric fans, radios, and TVs also can help.

Hearing Aids

Many people with tinnitus also have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing aids can be used to mask tinnitus by turning up the volume on outside noises.

Habituation

Also known as tinnitus retraining therapy, this process trains your brain to become more accustomed to tinnitus. Here, you listen to noise similar to your tinnitus sound for long periods. Eventually your brain ignores the tone, along with the tinnitus sound. It's similar to how you eventually don't think about how glasses feel on your nose.

Tinnitus retraining therapy.

Other Factors Influencing Tinnitus

While sound therapy can be beneficial, several other factors can influence the perception and severity of tinnitus:

• Musculoskeletal factors. Jaw clenching, tooth grinding, prior injury, or muscle tension in the neck can sometimes make tinnitus more noticeable.
• Underlying health conditions.
• Negative thinking.
• Medication. Tinnitus can be a side effect of many medications, especially when taken at higher doses, like aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and certain antidepressants.