According to studies, up to 10 million people in Germany experience tinnitus at least once a year. The causescan vary widely: noise, infectionsor inflammation, acoustic trauma, or sudden hearing loss. However, a genetic predisposition as well as psychological factors such as stress or emotional problems can also trigger tinnitus. If the unpleasant ringing in the ears does not go away on its own, comprehensive treatment is necessary.

One option is the Heidelberg Neuro-Music Therapy program, which has been offered by the German Center for Music Therapy Research for more than ten years. The exercises are tailored to the pitch of the patient’s tinnitus. However, a prerequisite for the treatment’s success is that the patient’s ear correctly hears and processes the played tones.

A recent studyshows that about two-thirds of patients have hearing loss that requires a hearing aid. Yet only one-quarter of all participants wear appropriate hearing aids. This is precisely what is crucial to the success of treatment.

In both the group of people with normal hearing and the group of people with hearing loss who use hearing aids, tinnitus improved significantly in the majority of participants following treatment—while this was the case for far fewer people with hearing loss who do not use hearing aids. Specifically, this means that people who suffer from tinnitus and have hearing loss can triple the effectiveness of their music therapy treatment by using hearing aids.

Accordingly, ears should be examined regularly to detect hearing loss early on. Anyone who needs hearing aids should wear them at all times. This is the only way for those affected to protect themselves from secondary conditions and increase the success of treatment by an ENT doctor.

If you hear a one-time whistling or ringing in your ears, it’s usually nothing to worry about. However, if the ringing persists for several days, you should see an ENT doctor. They can also determine whether you have any hearing loss beyond the tinnitus itself. To find an expert near you, use our ENT doctor finder—to find a specialist right around the corner from you.