Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears or head without any external sound source. While it is most commonly described as ringing in the ears, individuals may also experience hissing, buzzing, humming, or whooshing sounds. It may occur in one or both ears, or feel as though they originate from within the head. Tinnitus can be temporary (acute) or persistent (chronic), and its intensity can vary significantly from person to person. Tinnitus is a common condition, with studies estimating about 1 in 8 adults experience tinnitus severe enough to seek medical attention. The condition becomes more prevalent with age and tends to affect men more than women.

Types of Tinnitus

The symptoms of tinnitus can vary significantly from person to person, in both the type of sound heard and its severity.

• Subjective tinnitus is the most common type of tinnitus where only the affected individual can hear the sound. The sound may vary in pitch, ranging from a low hum to a high-pitched squeal. It is often caused by prolonged exposure to loud noise, hearing loss, or other auditory system disorders.
• Objective tinnitus is a rare form of tinnitus in which the sound can also be heard by a doctor using a stethoscope. It often presents as a rhythmic pulsing or whooshing sound, usually in sync with the heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus). It is typically caused by blood vessel abnormalities, muscle spasms, or middle ear issues.
• Neurological tinnitus is a type of tinnitus caused by underlying conditions such as Meniere’s disease that affects the auditory functions within the brain.
• Somatosensory tinnitus is a form of tinnitus that is associated with the sensory and musculoskeletal systems. The tinnitus symptoms can be influenced by specific body movements, such as the head, neck, or jaw. It is commonly linked to musculoskeletal conditions or nerve compression affecting those areas.

Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is not a disease itself but rather a symptom of an underlying condition. It can be triggered by a variety of factors such as hearing loss, ear injury or a problem with the body’s circulatory system.

• Hearing Loss – Age-related or noise-induced hearing loss often leads to tinnitus.
• Loud Noise Exposure – Prolonged exposure to loud environments (concerts, machinery, and personal listening devices) can damage delicate hair cells in the inner ear and trigger tinnitus.
• Excessive Earwax – Accumulation of earwax physically obstructs the ear canal and block sound transmission, leading to a sensation of fullness and sometimes tinnitus.
• Ear Diseases – Conditions like Meniere’s disease, ear infection, otosclerosis, Eustachian tube dysfunction can also contribute to tinnitus.
• Tumors – Acoustic neuromas and head and neck tumors can compress or damage the auditory nerve, leading to tinnitus, hearing loss and balance problems.
• Medications – Certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, pain relievers, and diuretics can worsen tinnitus.
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) Disorders – Issues with jaw joint dysfunction can contribute to tinnitus due to its proximity to the ears and shared nerve connections.
• Cardiovascular Diseases – High blood pressure or disrupted blood flow to the inner ear can lead to a specific type of tinnitus called pulsatile tinnitus, which sounds like a heartbeat or whooshing.
• Stress and Anxiety – Emotional distress can heighten tinnitus perception, making symptoms more noticeable and disturbing.

Treatment of Tinnitus

It is recommended to undergo a professional evaluation if your tinnitus is bothersome and significantly affecting your daily life. Treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and thus identifying any underlying causes is the first step towards relief. With the right approach and recommendations, an effective treatment plan can greatly reduce the impact of tinnitus and help regain your quality of life. The treatment for tinnitus varies depending on the underlying cause and severity of the tinnitus symptoms.

Common approaches include medication, sound therapy, amplification devices and behavioral therapy. If left untreated, tinnitus can lead to anxiety, depression, frustration, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, hearing challenges, and even cognitive decline. All of these can lead to emotional and mental distress which will subsequently affect your overall well-being and quality of life.

1. Medical Treatment – As tinnitus could be a symptom of many conditions, it is best to consult a doctor to check for any underlying medical conditions affecting your ears. If tinnitus is caused by an identifiable issue, such as earwax buildup or an infection, resolving that issue may eliminate the symptom.
2. Sound Therapy – This includes the use of customized hearing aids coupled with tinnitus relief features to amplify sounds and reduce the perception of tinnitus. Combined with counselling and relaxation techniques, this approach aims to alleviate the distressing symptoms of tinnitus and help individuals manage the condition. The goal is to reduce the emotional disturbance of tinnitus and improve the quality of life. At our clinic, we offer the Widex Zen Tinnitus Therapy (WZT) to our patients as part of our tinnitus treatment plan following a comprehensive tinnitus assessment by our resident in-house Audiologist.

Widex Zen Therapy

The Widex Zen Therapy (WZT) is a FDA-approved integrated sound therapy program that addresses all major components of tinnitus distress: auditory, attention, and emotion. It employs a unique scientific approach that uses the patented Zen and Widex SoundRelax^TM fractal tones inspired by nature sounds, ensuring smooth transitions in tonality and tempo.

Based on a mathematical system, the program plays fractal tones via Widex hearing aids in a novel manner, with chime-like tones for relaxation and to make tinnitus less noticeable. These programs are created from relaxation points of music, making it more effective at relieving stress and anxiety compared to the conventional broadband noise generators. This therapy is designed to promote relaxation, manage tinnitus-related distress and improve sleep quality.

3. Behavioral Therapy – Incorporated into Widex Zen Therapy is the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (CBI). Similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), it is designed to identify negative thoughts and behaviors hindering natural habituation of tinnitus, challenge their validity, and replacing them with positive alternatives. Another common approach is the Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) which aims to help individuals reclassify tinnitus as a non-threatening sound, therefore lessening the brain’s negative reaction to it. Mindfulness meditation can also help reduce anxiety and stress related, which often exacerbate tinnitus.