Does Sound Therapy Stop Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the perception of hearing sounds in your ears that aren’t caused by external sources. It may be caused by various medical conditions, age-related hearing loss or both. There is no known cure for tinnitus but sound therapy can help reduce its symptoms and enhance quality of life for those suffering from it.
Tinnitus can be a sign of an underlying medical condition, but it’s often difficult to diagnose. Your doctor will take your medical history and conduct a hearing exam to rule out any underlying problems such as hearing loss or ear infections that might be contributing to the problem. You may also receive imaging tests like CT or MRI scans plus blood tests for anemia, thyroid issues, heart disease or vitamin deficiencies.
Absolutely, sound therapy for tinnitus can be done without special equipment or prescription. Download free apps that play soothing sound to relax and retrain your brain. Set the volume level low enough that you can hear the tinnitus but not so low that it drowns out other sounds around you. Play the sound at least four hours daily, including while sleeping.
A combination of sound therapy and other tinnitus management techniques has proven successful for many patients; however, you must commit to the process in order to see long-term benefits.
Studies suggest sound therapy may have a beneficial effect on the auditory cortex, the part of the brain responsible for processing sound. Studies show exposure to noise can stimulate production of nitric oxide – an endorphin which helps open blood vessels and reduce inflammation at a cellular level.
A study published in “Tinnitus” found that tinnitus sound therapy did not have an adverse effect on patients’ perceptions of tinnitus, and participants who took part reported increased emotional resilience and reduced hypersensitivity to its sound. They therefore concluded that this form of therapy could potentially be useful for treating stress or anxiety issues.
Unfortunately, there is no single solution to tinnitus; however, many patients can benefit from sound therapy when combined with other management techniques. It should be noted that sound therapy will only be effective if used in combination with other techniques for managing symptoms.
Intonation training is a type of sound therapy that targets abnormal areas in the auditory cortex, such as those responsible for transposition tinnitus. Through this method, patients learn to focus on only that sound information causing their tinnitus and helps develop more sensitive auditory cortexes.