• Tinnitus
  • Symptoms
  • Causes
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment

The team at Laura Arnold Audiology offer Tinnitus Evaluations. Tinnitus is a common condition that is estimated to affect up to 20% of the global population. In New Zealand, approximately 200,000 Kiwis have debilitating tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external source is present. Technically speaking, tinnitus is not a condition rather, it is a symptom of an underlying condition. It rarely indicates a serious problem, despite the annoyance. Some things tend to worsen the perception. There are known risk factors however, no cure exists. If you have questions or concerns about tinnitus, it's always worth visiting us. 

Give us a shout on 0800 56 46 46 to hear what you are missing. Visit our website to make an appointment or click here to send an email. 

Symptoms
Symptoms
Causes
Causes
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Treatment
Treatment

More Information

Symptoms

Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no external source is present. Everyone experiences tinnitus differently. Although there are some common descriptions/symptoms.
  • Ringing
  • Buzzing
  • Humming
  • Roaring
  • Hissing
  • Cicadas 
  • Rumbling
  • Radio off frequency
  • White noise

Causes

There is no known exact cause of tinnitus. Although the most common cause for tinnitus is damage to the inner hair cells in the cochlea (the organ of hearing). The cells are situated deep in the inner ear and are responsible for sending electrical signals to the auditory nerve. These cells can bend or break causing them to send improper signals to the nerve and brain - causing these phantom sounds we call tinnitus. Hearing loss, other problems with your ears (ear infections or wax blockage), chronic health conditions, and/or other health conditions that affect sensory nerves are possible causes for tinnitus. Some other common causes are; 
  • Hearing loss
  • Noise Exposure 
  • Ear problems 
  • Head injuries
  • Blood vessels 
  • Medications 

Diagnosis

Diagnosing tinnitus is a process that starts with a physical exam of your ears, head, and neck. A critical part of the diagnosis is having an accurate review of your health history/ experience with tinnitus. It is important to be as specific as you can about your tinnitus: when it started, how long you've had it, whether it changes pitch or volume, what ear you hear the tinnitus in, and whether there are any things that seem to make it worse. Your audiologist will also go through a variety of tests to assess your auditory health and tinnitus.
Otoscopy: a thorough look at your ears through an otoscope will determine if there is any type of blockage.
Audiological assessment: a full hearing test is important to gather information about your auditory system.
Tinnitus matching: some audiologists will go through the process of determining the pitch of your tinnitus, the perceived volume of your tinnitus and the level of volume needed to mask your tinnitus.
Learn more about our tinnitus assessments here.

Treatment

There is no cure for tinnitus; however, there are ways to successfully manage it. Just as every person's experience with tinnitus is unique, so is the treatment. For some, it's as simple as forgetting about it. For others, a combination approach with different methods is best. 
You can trust when seeing your local audiologist that you'll receive a unique treatment approach that is right for you.
Explore different tinnitus treatment options
  • Sound Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Ear Wax Removal
  • Change Medications
  • Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT)
For more information about tinnitus visit our website