Tinnitus Treatment Options in Glen Burnie, MD
If you're grappling with the persistent ringing, buzzing, or hissing in your ears, you're not alone. Tinnitus, a common condition affecting millions of Americans, can significantly impact your quality of life. In Glen Burnie, MD, a variety of treatment options are available to help manage tinnitus symptoms effectively. This article explores the causes, symptoms, and available treatments for tinnitus, focusing on the services offered by local audiology practices.
Understanding Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the perception of noise or ringing in the ears. It's not a condition itself, but rather a symptom of another underlying issue. Nearly 10 to 15 percent of American adults experience tinnitus. While most people experience brief periods of hearing ringing in the ears at some time in their lives, some people experience tinnitus more regularly.
Tinnitus is the name for the noises you can hear in your ears that others cannot. It can be buzzing, ticking, hissing, or any type of sound. If you’ve ever experienced a ringing in your ears after going to a concert, then it’s actually very similar to tinnitus! According to National Center for Health Statistics studies, it is estimated to affect 32% of the US population - that’s a third of all Americans.
While most people understand tinnitus as a condition that never goes away, it can be either an acute (temporary) condition or a chronic (ongoing) health condition. If you’re someone who is unfortunate enough to endure the ringing in your ears, then you’ll be aware of how much it can drive you up the wall. Lack of sleep, restlessness, anxiety, and stress are all common side effects of the condition.
The more stressed an individual gets, the worse their tinnitus will be, making it a hard cycle to break and one that can cause someone to feel incredibly frustrated - especially as doctors claim there is “no cure.”
Causes and Symptoms of Tinnitus
Tinnitus is not a condition itself, but rather a symptom of another condition. 90 percent of people with tinnitus also have noise-induced hearing loss. Tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying condition that alters the course of many lives. Tinnitus is when you hear ringing in one or both ears. It can also be described as a hissing, clicking, buzzing or even knocking in your ears. These are phantom sounds and can only be heard by the individual.
It becomes less noticeable when you’re around other sounds. But in a quiet setting, the environment gets filled with random tinnitus distractions. As they come and go, your concentration takes a huge hit. At a concert, your enjoyment levels are at an all-time high. It isn’t until the end of the event that you notice the residual sounds don’t immediately go away. Most of the time, this is temporary tinnitus that will wear off on its own. Repeated exposure to similar loud sounds will eventually lead to a situation where tinnitus becomes permanent.
There is also naturally occurring tinnitus that develops as you get older. At first, it is subtle enough to not interfere with routine activities. Tinnitus symptoms become more glaring while trying to focus on particular tasks or in quiet environments. In this moment, that is when the seriousness of the effects become clear.
Prevention of Tinnitus
Hearing protection has been a way to prevent tinnitus symptoms. In some professions, the protection is a mandatory part of employment. You can purchase earplugs, earmuffs and custom earmolds to prevent noise exposure from damaging your hearing. Even generic earplugs are a better option to protect your hearing.
Treatment Options for Tinnitus
It’s never too late to get treated for tinnitus. Solutions include medicine, maskers and tinnitus retraining therapy. The cause of your tinnitus will be the guide to which method of treatment works best in lessening the symptoms. Severity also matters, as tinnitus strength is different for every individual. Finding the best solution will always come after a thorough session with an audiologist.
Diagnostic Hearing Tests
First and foremost, diagnosing the severity and type of your tinnitus is critical. While tinnitus itself is a symptom rather than a standalone condition, its characteristics can vary greatly from person to person. It can be high-pitched or low, constant or intermittent, in one ear or both. Our diagnostic process usually involves a series of hearing tests, an examination of your ear canals, and often a review of your medical history.
Hearing Aids and Masking Devices
Modern hearing aids are equipped with tinnitus-masking features that produce a white noise or other sounds to mask the symptoms of tinnitus. Masking devices, on the other hand, are solely geared towards drowning out the tinnitus noise. These can be particularly useful if you have little to no hearing loss.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
Another popular method we employ is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). This involves a combination of low-level, steady background sounds played through a device and talk therapy. The goal here is not just to mask the tinnitus, but to retrain your brain to ignore it. This is a more long-term approach, and patience is key.
Advanced Treatments
We also offer more technologically advanced treatments like biofeedback and neurofeedback. These techniques teach you how to control physiological functions to reduce stress, a common trigger for tinnitus flare-ups.
Audiology Services in Glen Burnie, MD
Several audiology practices in the Glen Burnie area offer comprehensive services for tinnitus evaluation and management. These include:
* Diagnostic hearing tests for patients of all ages* Hearing aids from all major brands, plus fittings, reprogramming, and repairs* Real-Ear verification for precise hearing aid performance* Balance testing (VNG and Epley maneuvers)* Electro-physiology testing (ABR, EcochG, cVEMP)* Tinnitus evaluation and treatment* Cerumen management and professional ear wax removal* Custom ear products and hearing protectionThese practices are staffed by experienced audiologists dedicated to providing the highest standard of hearing care. For example, Anne Arundel Audiology specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of hearing loss, offering advanced devices from leading hearing aid manufacturers.
Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center Glen Burnie, MD
At Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center in Glen Burnie, MD, the focus is on building relationships with each customer throughout their hearing care journey. They offer custom hearing protection solutions tailored to specific activities and environments, custom-made to the shape of your ears for maximum comfort. They also offer free lifetime service and hearing aid aftercare.
Their custom-fit hearing aids are molded to fit each person’s unique ear shape. Your hearing instrument specialist will take a mold of your ear while you're in the office. This is quick and painless! It will then get sent to the manufacturer, where your hearing aid will be created just for you.
At Miracle-Ear, we know that if we, together, take care of your hearing aid, it will take care of you. It's essential that your device functions properly and allows you to live life to the fullest.
Live Better Hearing + Balance in Pasadena, MD
Live Better Hearing + Balance has been serving patients in Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, and the greater Anne Arundel County area for more than 20 years. Their audiologists provide comprehensive hearing tests, prescription hearing aids from all major brands, Real-Ear verification, tinnitus evaluations, hearing aid repairs, and custom ear protection.
They offer a full range of audiology services, including:
* Diagnostic hearing tests for patients of all ages, from infants to older adults* Hearing aids from all major brands, plus fittings, reprogramming, and repairs* Real-Ear verification for precise hearing aid performance* Balance testing (VNG and Epley maneuvers)* Electro-physiology testing (ABR, EcochG, cVEMP)* Tinnitus evaluation and treatment* Cerumen management and professional ear wax removal* Custom ear products and hearing protectionAudiology Associates Inc
Audiology Associates has been offering full-service audiology care to Maryland residents for over 35 years. What started as the first private practice in the state to dispense hearing aids has grown into a network of eight offices offering the best hearing care in the industry. Their talented staff uses the latest technology to diagnose and treat your hearing loss.
Taking the First Step
Tinnitus can feel like a never-ending cycle of frustration. But armed with the right information and supported by personalized, professional audiological services, you can break that cycle. If you're experiencing changes in your hearing or struggling to hear the world around you, it's time to take proactive measures to improve your hearing health.
Prevent or address hearing loss from exposure to loud noise, health issues and normal aging with regular hearing check-ups.
Ready to take the first step towards conquering your tinnitus? Contact an audiology practice in Glen Burnie, MD today for a consultation.
Here at Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center Glen Burnie, MD, we'll be there for you every step of the way. What's most important to us is the relationship we're able to build with each customer along their hearing care journey. Everyone deserves to realize the full potential of their passions, relationships and life.
By choosing us as your hearing care team in Glen Burnie, you choose to be cared for by qualified, experienced and trusted hearing care professionals from your community in MD, who can help improve the way you experience the world around you. Visit us anytime in Glen Burnie.
Contact Information:
- Live Better Hearing + Balance: (410) 590-9462
Office Hours:
Here are the typical office hours for audiology clinics in Pasadena, MD:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00am - 4:00pm |
| Tuesday | 8:00am - 4:00pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00am - 4:00pm |
| Thursday | 8:00am - 4:00pm |
| Friday | 8:00am - 4:00pm |