![]() Can sound therapy help tune out tinnitus? ![]() If it's a relatively continuous sound, you should see an audiologist or otolaryngologist (ears, nose, throat specialist). ![]() However, if it pulsates in sync with your heart rate, it's definitely something to get checked out by a physician, says Polley. If it only lasts for a few seconds or minutes, it's nothing to worry about. It's a classic example of a feedback loop, similar to the squeal of a microphone when it is too close to a speaker."Īt times, everyone experiences the perception of a phantom sound. This creates the perception of a sound that does not exist in the physical environment. "The sensitivity knobs are turned up so high that neurons begin to respond to the activity of other nearby neurons. "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. As people get older, the auditory nerve connecting the ear to the brain starts to fray, diminishing normal sounds. Tinnitus also can be a symptom of Meniere's disease, a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear.Įven old-fashioned aging can lead to tinnitus, which is common in people older than age 55. 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. Long-term exposure to loud noises is often blamed. There are many possible causes of tinnitus. One approach to managing this condition is different forms of sound therapy intended to help people tune out the internal soundtrack of tinnitus. It may be constant or intermittent, steady or pulsating. The sound may seem to come from one ear or both, from inside the head, or from a distance. ![]() For many it's a high-pitched ringing, while for others it's whistling, whooshing, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. The mysterious condition causes a sound in the head with no external source. You may be one of the estimated 50 million-plus people who suffer from tinnitus. That recurring sound that you hear but nobody else does? It's not all in your head. ![]()
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