Tinnitus Consultation & Counselling
Are you experiencing a ringing, buzzing, hissing or humming sound in one ear, both ears, or in the middle of your head? Are you hearing a sound that no one else can hear?
Tinnitus is the perception of a sound, in the absence of an actual external source. It can vary in type of sound, pitch and intensity, and can also come and go, or be there constantly.
Tinnitus is very common. It is in fact the 1st health concern reported by Veterans, before hearing loss and post-traumatic stress. Clinically speaking, 80% of the patients we see at the clinic who have some form of hearing loss, also experience tinnitus.
Tinnitus is also a symptom, rather than a condition. There is usually a reason for the tinnitus to be there, such as a problem with the ears (infections, wax build up), acoustic damage (hearing loss), or perhaps an issue with some other structure in your body, or a side effect of medication you may be taking.
Some people live well with their tinnitus, and some don’t. Regardless how well you cope with managing your tinnitus, it should be assessed to make sure there are no further medical investigations required.
The Facts
As per Statistics Canada, four out of every ten adult Canadians experience some degree of tinnitus. While tinnitus is highly prevalent, not many people actually report it to their healthcare providers. In fact, only about 25% of people with tinnitus seek any help for it.
Many also falsely believe that there is nothing that can be done to help with tinnitus. There is actually always some sort of rehabilitation solution available to help manage tinnitus. This said, the solution often is dependant on the possible source of the tinnitus. Regardless, there is typically something that can be tried.
Tinnitus Consultations at Echo Audiology
Because Tinnitus is often linked to an ear or hearing-related issue, the first step in evaluating tinnitus is to perform a hearing assessment. A hearing assessment allows us to assess all the structures within your hearing system to see if we can identify a possible source for the tinnitus.
Our intake questionnaires also allow us to have a much deeper understanding of your case history, which often guides us in figuring out the possible source of your tinnitus, as well as rehabilitation solutions, whether these fall under acoustic rehabilitation or not. We also sometimes refer you on to other health professionals who also work with tinnitus. That said, ruling out any acoustic or ear-related damage is the first step in the assessment.
Our consultations also include in-depth counselling of the new findings on tinnitus and solutions available to help you manage it better.
If you are experiencing tinnitus, don’t hesitate to contact us
today to book your Tinnitus Consultation.
