All kinds of sounds that we hear are processed in the cochlea. Cochlea is a spiral structure in the inner ear that is responsible in translating sound into nerve impulses to the brain. However, there are people who can hear sounds inside their head even though the surrounding is totally quiet. Doctors call this odd experience tinnitus.
Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom whose origin remains vague. But despite the uncertainty regarding its origin, there's one thing professional doctors are sure about. And that is, the sound that people with tinnitus hear is not processed in the cochlea. For this reason, the different sounds that people with tinnitus hear can be considered as phantom auditory perception.
Since the sounds that tinnitus produces are not processed in the cochlea, it seems that there are particular brain activities that may give rise the tinnitus sensation. This subject matter however is a bit complicated and there's no consensus yet from the experts what actually causes tinnitus.
People with tinnitus may choose to undergo Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. TRT applies the theory of habituation to help people with tinnitus get used to the sounds they are hearing. According to experts, the the primary cause of chronic tinnitus is psychological. So unless a person is anxious about the sounds they he/she is hearing, tinnitus will not frighten him/her.
That tells much about the need to incorporate counseling into the various methods used for treating chronic tinnitus. Counseling helps people who suffer from tinnitus get properly informed, thus giving way to demystification of tinnitus and patient reassurance. Counseling helps these people get reassurance, that tinnitus is in no way connected with losing their sense of hearing.
Aside from providing counseling and sound therapy, doctors also carry out audiological assessment. This type of assessment is necessary in determining the type of sound that a person is hearing, its pitch and volume as well. This also allows doctors to tell right away whether the symptoms he/she is experiencing indicates any medical problem.
Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom whose origin remains vague. But despite the uncertainty regarding its origin, there's one thing professional doctors are sure about. And that is, the sound that people with tinnitus hear is not processed in the cochlea. For this reason, the different sounds that people with tinnitus hear can be considered as phantom auditory perception.
Since the sounds that tinnitus produces are not processed in the cochlea, it seems that there are particular brain activities that may give rise the tinnitus sensation. This subject matter however is a bit complicated and there's no consensus yet from the experts what actually causes tinnitus.
People with tinnitus may choose to undergo Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. TRT applies the theory of habituation to help people with tinnitus get used to the sounds they are hearing. According to experts, the the primary cause of chronic tinnitus is psychological. So unless a person is anxious about the sounds they he/she is hearing, tinnitus will not frighten him/her.
That tells much about the need to incorporate counseling into the various methods used for treating chronic tinnitus. Counseling helps people who suffer from tinnitus get properly informed, thus giving way to demystification of tinnitus and patient reassurance. Counseling helps these people get reassurance, that tinnitus is in no way connected with losing their sense of hearing.
Aside from providing counseling and sound therapy, doctors also carry out audiological assessment. This type of assessment is necessary in determining the type of sound that a person is hearing, its pitch and volume as well. This also allows doctors to tell right away whether the symptoms he/she is experiencing indicates any medical problem.
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