According to the Mayo Clinic’s information page on tinnitus, this condition–a noise or ringing in the ears–affects about one in five people.
Tinnitus is often the result of age-related hearing loss, and can worsen as you get older. The Mayo Clinic also reports that tinnitus can improve with treatment.
One increasingly accepted treatment for tinnitus–both in the United States and abroad–is the use of music therapy.
A BBC News report on music therapy and tinnitus tells about a German research study in which participants’ favorite music was altered to remove notes matching frequencies of the ringing in participants’ ears. After a year of listening to the altered music, the report says, some participants reported their tinnitus wasn’t as loud as before. This technique is based on the theory that removing sounds associated with tinnitus from the music reduces brain activity relating to that frequency and thereby reduces tinnitus.
Whatever benefits this approach may or may not yield in the long term, people suffering form tinnitus seem to be good candidates for other benefits music therapy appears to offer. A Psychology Today article examining the use of music therapy for tinnitus points out that tinnitus can lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions or symptoms that music therapy is believed to alleviate.
If you’re one of the millions of seniors suffering from tinnitus and this condition is affecting you in other ways, you may have good reason to discuss the possible benefits of music therapy with your doctor.
The American Tinnitus Association website offers a list of tips for dealing with tinnitus. The first tip is “DO NOT panic.” Music therapy is gaining wide acceptance as a means of promoting relaxation and relieving stress. There’s no known cure for tinnitus, but it may well be that music therapy is one of the best options for tinnitus sufferers until the day a cure is discovered.
If your doctor recommends music therapy for your tinnitus or any conditions accompanying tinnitus, Medicare, including Medicare supplement insurance and Medicare Advantage, can help cover the costs.
Tinnitus is a major senior health concern. If you’re among the millions of American seniors dealing with this condition, leave a message below telling us what treatments or therapies have made a positive difference for you!
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Music Therapy and Tinnitus © 2012 MedicareMall.com