tinnitus understanding ringing in the ears- affects 70-85% hearing impaired people
TRANSCRIPT
Tinnitus
Understanding Ringing in the Ears- Affects 70-85% hearing impaired people
Anatomy of the ear
What is Tinnitus ?
Tinnitus is a symptom not a disorder / disease • Hearing loss• Medical disorders• Drugs Diazpam -valium
Regardless cause- high correlation with hearing
loss
Peripheral hearing loss – less stimulation to brain- increase brain activity- brain compensating for
hearing loss.
Brain has ability to ignore Tinnitus
Humming, ringing, buzzing., continuous,
periodic, different pitch, loudness variation
When brain hears tinnitus – produces
stress hormones
Assessing a patient with Tinnitus
• Pure tones• Speech tests• Pressure of middle ears
Hearing test
• Pitch• Loudness• Duration
Tinnitus matching-
• Patients reaction to tinnitusTinnitus handicap questionaire
Management of patient with Tinnitus
Sound therapyHearing aids-
stimulating brain reducing tinnitus
Takes attention away from tinnitus Reduces quiet time Reduces sound
noise ratio
Counselling and education
Sound Therapy
Hearing aids- only therapy
recommended for most patients
Broadband and narrow band
sound generators –
tinnitus maskers
Environmental sounds-
programmed into hearing
aids
Music therapy- programmed into hearing
aids
Music Therapy
• Slow music and non changing - soothing effect
• High pitches and fast music - causes excitement
• Repetitive music pleasant – active listening
• Non repetitive music – passive listening
Induces relaxation- stimulates
part of brain releasing
mood hormones
and tinnitus
Music and Stress
People use music without
thinking
Carefully selected music helps tinnitus
Changes vicious cycle of stress
Set program in hearing aid with
Zen tones.
Different Zen tones catering
individual needs
Invokes passive listening
Binaural stimulation necessary
Programming the Hearing Instrument
Need remote or program
button
First program – master
program- general listening
Second program- Zen with
microphone on music in
background while amplifying speech
Third program- Zen only –
meditating and quiet times.
Cure for Tinnitus ?
No Cure
Goal is alter
patients reaction to
Tinnitus
Habituation
Acceptance – no danger
Improve quality of
life