Tinnitus can drastically affect your quality of life, and just be a pesky and maddening experience. Tinnitus occurs when you hear ringing, buzzing, clicking, or other sounds in your ears. This is not from an external source, but rather happens in your inner ear. Because of this, others can’t hear the noises, which can be annoying and affect your hearing when interacting with others.
Fortunately, there are several different types of treatment options available. But like many treatment options, they can be expensive. In this blog, we’ll discuss what tinnitus treatment costs depend on the treatment strategy you and your doctor agree upon. Some can be relatively quick fixes, while others will require a long-term solution that could take lots of time and require lots of money to address.
In this article, we’ll discuss what tinnitus symptoms exist, what causes them and explore the different types of treatment options available. Depending on what option(s) you choose, you may spend more or less money than others.
In This Article
First, what is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a common condition affecting 15 to 20 percent of people but mostly affects older adults. This is because hearing loss is a cause of tinnitus, and happens to people as they get older more than other audiences. Generally, it is caused by another underlying issue your body is having but results in noises you hear in your ears that sound like clicking, hissing, buzzing, ringing, or roaring noises.
There are two main types of tinnitus: subjective and pulsatile tinnitus. Subjective is the most common type, which means only you can hear the sounds caused by your tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus, as its name suggests, can provide a sound that matches the rhythm of your heartbeat, and a doctor or loved one can hear the sounds upon examination.
When the tiny hairs in your ears are broken or damaged, they can send random electrical signals to your brain that result in noise sensations in your ears. This is how tinnitus is created.
Treating tinnitus generally involves addressing an underlying condition or masking the symptoms of tinnitus. It cannot be cured or eliminated completely in most cases; generally, it’s something to deal with by masking or helping to treat the symptoms.
What is the cause of Tinnitus?
Tinnitus can have many causes, from having an ear infection or ear blockage to a result of a head or neck injury that damaged your ear, causing the sensation.
Some common causes of tinnitus include:
- Hearing loss as you age or from another condition or incident
- Side effects from medications like cancer pills, antibiotics, water pills, and more
- Head or neck injuries that damage your ear
- Ear infections
- Earwax buildup or other blockages
- Ear bone changes
- Blood vessel issues or disorders
- Inner ear muscle spasms
- Chronic conditions like diabetes, migraines, and lupus have been associated with tinnitus as well
The cause or nature of your tinnitus will determine which treatment option to explore first, though generally a combination of options are introduced to see which is most effective for your specific case.
What treatment options are there for tinnitus?
There are a plethora of different options out there for treating your tinnitus. Before making a determination, your doctor will conduct certain tests to inspect and measure your inner ear performance and reactions. This could include lab testing, motion testing, and how your symptoms respond to certain stimuli.
Then, they may recommend the following options:
- Change your medication
- Get rid of earwax buildup or extract other blockages through surgery or other means
- Suggest you get hearing aids that can help limit symptoms and improve your hearing
- Conduct sound therapy sessions to manage symptoms
- Suggest supplements aimed to battle tinnitus symptoms
- Other therapies (like cognitive behavior therapy) to learn how to cope with symptoms if they can’t be treated super effectively
- Provide tools to mask symptoms (white noise machines or other technologies)
Because of the range of treatment options, there is a range of costs as well. Auditory testing will cost you as well. Below we break down the different costs for different options:
Testing and evaluation – $80-185
Sound therapy or tinnitus retraining therapy (12-24 months) – approximately $2500
Hearing aids and devices (depending on the severity of symptoms) – Between $1500 and $6000
- Normal hearing and moderately bothersome tinnitus – $4,480
- Mild hearing loss and mildly bothersome tinnitus – $5,880
- Moderate hearing loss, hyperacusis, and bothersome tinnitus $6,880
- Want or need the best technology for hearing loss & tinnitus – $8,880
Of course, each treatment facility or doctor’s office might charge different prices. But you want the most holistic and comprehensive care available, so you don’t want to cheap out. You can’t put a price on a healthy quality of life, particularly when persistent issues are bothering you each and every day.
There are certain companies that offer all-natural and organic supplements aimed to target things like this, including Tinnitus 911, Nerve Control 911, Prostate 911, and many others. These may provide relief at a low cost and provide valuable results. If you find relief taking them, more power to you; but it’s likely you’ll need more professional medical treatment to relieve your tinnitus, which will, unfortunately, cost you more.
Conclusion – What Does Tinnitus Treatment Cost?
Depending on the method of treatment you select, tinnitus treatment could cost you as little as $100 and as much as several thousand. It all depends on the severity of your tinnitus symptoms and how much you’re willing to spend to address them.
A more long-term treatment plan will obviously cost you more. Unfortunately, with issues like tinnitus, there is no quick fix. You need to address the underlying issues that are the root of your tinnitus, and these could be short-term or long-term solutions. For example, if you simply have a large buildup of earwax or another blockage, removing it could resolve your tinnitus symptoms.
But if your tinnitus is a result of a head or neck injury, or a blood vessel condition that requires surgery, it gets much more complicated. What’s most important is to have a consultation and further discussions with your ear specialist to determine the most appropriate path forward for treatment.
To try and prevent tinnitus, take care of your ears by having them cleaned regularly, staying away from hyper-loud environments and events, and using hearing protection when you can. Prioritize your cardiovascular health as well and try to limit alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine intake. It might make a difference.
