There are always 2 options:
- Do the same thing — no change
- Do something different
Of course, you are here, because you want something better than what you have. You want to know you are doing the best thing for your situation. Personally, I start with getting more information. Let’s consider a few questions briefly:
- Is this something I should be scared about and get surgery or drugs for?
In the last topic, Understand Your Tinnitus MORE, we discussed ‘The Scaries.’ Problems like tumors or enlarged blood vessels are very rare, but they happen. I cannot tell you if you do or do not have a serious/scary condition. An ENT doctor is the best at determining this.
Option #1: Takes drugs or have surgery done.
If, after their evaluation, they tell you:
- I found the cause, and this is serious.
Do what your doctor says! It’s good news, because you found the problem. You would still likely benefit from natural approaches, but sometimes drugs or surgery is necessary also.
Option #2: Take a natural approach.
If, after their evaluation, they tell you:
- I don’t find anything that concerns me….You just have to learn to live with it.
- Nothing can be done, because nothing is wrong.
- You have some hearing loss. Nothing can be done…except maybe hearing aids.
That is good news! It’s good news, because you don’t need drugs or surgery and a natural approach is likely to help. Most doctors, including ENTs, are specialists in finding problems that need drugs or surgery. If they don’t find it, that is good news.
What are the natural approaches?
- Tinnitus Synergy – comprehensive self-help that may be combined with professional help
- Professional help – Counselor, Psychiatrist, Massage therapist, Physical therapist, Chiropractor, Dentist, and/or Physiatrist.
- Experimental semi-invasive approaches –
- Do nothing – That doesn’t seem like a very good option, but if your tinnitus really doesn’t bother you, it may not be worth the effort or expense of improving it.
What are other approaches?
- Experimental invasive or semi-invasive approaches – Trans-cranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS or TMS), medications, stem cell injections
- Auditory Training alone: this is what Neuromonics and Neuromodulation and similar approaches use sound, sometimes combined with physical (perhaps tongue or vagal) stimulation.