Masking Device is a tool that is usually used to help treat tinnitus. Tinnitus is a symptom of ear damage which is characterized by ringing sounds that interfere with hearing. The ringing that appears can last for a long time or it can be short but frequent. In some cases, this condition can affect one or both ears.
Ringing in the ears, aka tinnitus, can be a symptom of several conditions, such as disturbances in the internal organs of the ear, disorders in the blood vessels, or because of the side effects of medications taken. There are several ways that can be done to treat and reduce the ringing that appears, one of which is a masking device . How does this work? Listen here!
Get Know Tinnitus and How to Overcome It
There are several ways that can be done to help overcome tinnitus, one of which is with a tool called a masking device or hearing mask. This device resembles a hearing aid that is attached to the ear. Masking device will turn off certain sounds that aim to “disrupt” the noise that arises due to tinnitus.
Because the goal is to distract, the sound that is played will usually be pleasant and soothing. However, the sound used also has a therapeutic function to eliminate noise in the ears of people with tinnitus. In addition to this tool, tinnitus can also be treated with several other ways of treatment.
Ringing in the ears aka tinnitus can be experienced by anyone, but the risk is higher in people who are elderly (elderly). The typical symptom of this disorder is the sensation of a ringing sound, even though there is no sound around it at all. The sound that appears is internal or comes from inside the ear.
Tinnitus is characterized by sound sensations such as buzzing, hissing, ticking, and rumbling. The sound sensation that appears can be heard slowly, softly, to loudly. In some people, the sound that appears can be so loud that it interferes with concentration and masks other real sounds around it.
How to deal with this condition is adjusted to the cause. If this condition arises because of earwax that has accumulated, tinnitus is treated by removing the wax. Meanwhile, tinnitus caused by disorders of the blood vessels is treated by surgery and the consumption of certain drugs.
Therapy for Tinnitus
The method for treating ringing in the ears depends on the underlying cause. For example, by removing earwax that has accumulated, correcting disorders in the blood vessels with surgery, and changing the drugs the patient is currently taking.
Patients will undergo special therapy or be trained to get used to the sound of tinnitus if the tinnitus does not go away and is very disturbing. The trick is to:
- Sound therapy uses other sounds that can mask the tinnitus, such as raindrops or waves.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), to train patients not to focus on the tinnitus sounds they experience.
Ringing in the ears can not be treated with drugs. However, there are a number of medications that can be used to reduce the severity of tinnitus symptoms, including:
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline.
- Benzodiazepine drugs, such as alprazolam.
- People with ringing in the ears with hearing loss will be advised to use a hearing aid.
Unfortunately, until now this condition can not be said to be treated with drugs. However, taking certain medications can help people with tinnitus cope with the symptoms that appear and prevent the condition from getting worse. The doctor will consider several factors before giving the drug. In tinnitus that causes hearing loss, sufferers are advised to use hearing aids.