Hey everyone, welcome back. Today I wanna talk about tinnitus which is common after a concussion. But how does it occur and what are the testing and treatment options?

Tinnitus is the perception of buzzing or ringing or hissing sound in the ear without an external sound source. There are delicate hair cells in the inner ear that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals, which then travel along the nerve to your brain. A concussion's forceful impact can damage these hair cells, leading to tinnitus.

Also, the inner ear and brain work together to filter the noise around us, but a concussion can disrupt this process. This can result in increased sound sensitivity (hyperacusis) or trouble hearing in noisy environments.

How do you test tinnitus?

Audiologists can perform some of these tests for tinnitus to tailor their treatment.

• Audiogram: This is a common hearing test that measures how well you hear different frequencies of sound. It helps determine if there's any hearing loss, which often accompanies tinnitus.

• Tinnitus Matching: In this test, you'll listen to various sounds and try to identify the one that best matches your tinnitus. This is crucial for customizing sound therapy later on.

• Acoustic reflex test: It measures how your ear dampens loud sounds.

• Tympanogram: This test checks how well your eardrum and middle ear bones are working together. It can rule out any mechanical issues that might be contributing to your tinnitus.

What are the treatment options?

• Sound Therapy uses external sounds to reduce or cover up the perception of tinnitus. You can use white noise machines or special hearing aids that can mask tinnitus by producing sound that matches your tinnitus.

• Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) -  Combines sound therapy with counseling to help you learn to live with tinnitus.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy can help patients cope with the emotional and psychological effects of tinnitus, reducing its perceived intensity.

• Medications are not routinely recommended. But there are some antidepressants, anticonvulsants and benzodiazepines that may reduce the intensity of tinnitus.

If you have a concussion and experience any hearing problems, it's important to see an audiologist. Getting diagnosed and treated early can improve your chances of recovery.