Expert Advice: When Do Maskers Not Work for Tinnitus?
Tinnitus maskers are the most popular treatment for tinnitus that helps people with ringing in the ears. A masker is a device that emits a stream of white noise, which theoretically drowns the phantom noise perceived by the patient. Generally, a patient will stop noticing his or her tinnitus once the masker is turned on. But a masking device does not work for all patients. When do maskers not work for tinnitus?
Generally, maskers can work for most cases of tinnitus. Of course, the benefit you get from them is limited. You only experience relief as the masker is turned on. Turn it off and you will again hear the ringing in your ears. It does not get any simpler than that. This device, however, is helpful for people who want immediate relief from ringing ears.
On the other hand, there are instances when a tinnitus masking device will not work. Maskers need to be adjusted depending on the perceived loudness and frequency of your tinnitus. It is the job of the audiologist to get you the proper masking device. One reason why a masker does not seem to do you any good is it may be the wrong device or it may have improperly adjusted. If you ask an audiologist, “When do maskers not work for tinnitus,” he would tell you the same thing.
The wrong practice is to simply buy tinnitus masking treatment or a masking device sold on the internet. Yes, you can find sellers that promote tinnitus maskers. It’s not recommended to buy these products just like that. You should, first, go to your audiologist to have your tinnitus assessed. The medical professional shall measure the degree of your tinnitus and shall find out if you have other hearing problems. If you have other hearing problems, then you may need a different solution.
So when do maskers not work for tinnitus? To explain further, people with hearing loss (and tinnitus) may not experience any benefit from maskers. They need a hearing aid and a masker. In addition, masking alone will have minimal effect on severe tinnitus.
