Yes, tinnitus is a genetic disorder and can be hereditary. In a 2017 study, researchers suggested that tinnitus is genetic and has the tendency to transfer within generations. This condition can occur in a single ear or both.
You can refer to the condition with a ringing sound in both ears as bilateral tinnitus. Researchers based on bilateral tinnitus suggest that this disorder is more common in men. The studies about understanding the relation of tinnitus and genetics are still in progress. No matter if this condition is in your family history or not, you have to take precautionary measures to avoid tinnitus.
Do You Have Genetic Tinnitus?
You can determine the severity and level of tinnitus through hearing tests. When you experience a continuous buzzing and ringing noise, you need to visit a professional audiologist. A certified audiologist will diagnose your condition by asking various questions about how you feel.
They will evaluate the intensity of your condition and identify the underlying cause of the ringing. Furthermore, they will ask you have you manage your condition during daily tasks and what emotional symptoms you experience. They will also ask about the activities that trigger your symptoms.
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After that, you will go through a hearing test under the supervision of a professional audiologist. They will begin the testing process by physically examining your ears. They will see if the cause of your tinnitus is some external source and what factors are responsible for the discomfort.
They will inspect your ear for other structural damage or an infection. An ear infection is a common cause of tinnitus. If the reason for the ringing sound is an infection, they will prescribe medication. You may also experience tinnitus because of the build-up of earwax. Once they identify the cause of the development of tinnitus, they will create a treatment plan.
Now your doctor will use a pure-tone test to find the tone of the ringing sound. The audiologist will understand what kind of sound you hear. For instance, it can be ringing, bangs, a hammering sound, or a continuous whistle. After finding the tone or pitch, they will find the level of the sound.
The purpose of this treatment is to mask out the ringing sound. Therefore, the sound needs to match the tinnitus sound. In order to identify the level of the sound, they will ask you various questions. These questions will help them understand the lowest and highest level of the ringing sound. To mask out the tinnitus sound, your doctor should understand the intensity and pitch of the tinnitus you are experiencing.
The audiologist will then go through your medical history and review the reports to find the actual cause of the condition. They have to understand all the potential and external factors that can cause ringing sounds and its’ symptoms. In short, to identify the genetic tinnitus, you have to undergo the initial consultation, physical examination, and pure-tone test. Subsequently, your audiologist will share the treatment plan and provide you relief.
Treatment of Genetic Tinnitus
You need the correct intervention of tools for relief. You can treat tinnitus in a number of ways. However, the most common and defective treatment is sound therapy. This is a type of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, and it involves directive counseling. This technique works as the first line of defense for your genetic tinnitus. It helps by reducing the symptoms of your condition.
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You can utilize sound therapy techniques to stimulate your damaged nerves, ears, and brain. In this technique, you listen to soothing sounds, including the sound of water, rain, and birds that stimulates the affected area. After some time, your brain will mask the ringing sound, which reduces the symptoms.
Sound therapy is an amazing method and requires directives counseling to comprehend the factors affecting your hearing. By visiting a professional audiologist, you can undergo sound therapy. They will ask you questions to better understand the problem. As a result, they find the pitch of the sound in your head. Furthermore, they will identify how loud and well you respond to different treatments.
Sound therapy is helpful to mask out the symptoms of tinnitus. It also helps you to seek immediate relief. The therapy will have a significant effect on your brain and mask and fade out the irritating and annoying ringing sound.
Genetic Tinnitus: Conclusion
Frontiers in Neuroscience published a study about the impacts of research analyzing the relation between tinnitus and genetics. This is ongoing research, and it is about how people suffering from tinnitus can benefit from personalized and optimized therapies.
Significant data is about to come that provides insights into the role of genetics in treating chronic tinnitus. Regardless of the history of tinnitus in your family, you can schedule an appointment with our qualified sound therapist Stephen Katz. Contact him at 646-585-2251 or visit our main website at Misophonia Cognitive Center™.