Best Tinnitus Treatment in Hyderabad, India
PACE Hospitals is a trusted hospital for advanced tinnitus treatment in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Our skilled team of ENT specialists, audiologists, neurologists, and dedicated healthcare professionals delivers comprehensive care to individuals experiencing persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears.
We utilize cutting-edge diagnostic tools and evidence-based treatment methods to manage tinnitus effectively and enhance each patient’s quality of life. Whether the cause is hearing loss, inner ear issues, or neurological conditions, our approach is always personalized and focused on long-term relief.
At PACE Hospitals, we understand how distressing, persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears can be. That’s why we focus on timely diagnosis, effective management strategies, and compassionate support in a calm, patient-friendly environment.
Why Choose PACE Hospitals for Tinnitus Treatment?
State-of-the-Art Audiology Services & High-Precision Hearing Treatment
Best ENT Specialists and Audiologists in Hyderabad
24x7 ENT Emergency Care to Handle Complex Ear and Nerve-related Conditions
Affordable & Reliable Tinnitus Treatment - Medical Therapy, TRT, Tinnitus Maskers, and Advanced Microsurgeries
The patient consults a general physician, who will begin by taking a comprehensive history. The physician will ask about the patient’s medical history, the nature and duration of the tinnitus, any associated hearing changes, and the impact of the tinnitus on the patient’s daily life. The general physician performs a physical examination, checking for issues like fluid from an ear infection or earwax that could be blocking the ear canal. The physician evaluates the tinnitus based on four key elements:
- Chronicity (whether the condition is long-lasting)
- Location (whether the tinnitus is unilateral or bilateral (one ear or both))
- Any associated hearing changes
- The impact of the tinnitus (whether it is bothersome or not)
Based on the findings, the general physician will determine if there’s an underlying condition or medication that might be causing the tinnitus.
If necessary, the general physician will refer the patient to an ENT specialist (otolaryngologist) for further diagnosis and management, especially if the initial examination suggests that the tinnitus might be related to more complex issues that require specialized care.
The ENT specialist will conduct a more thorough examination and may perform additional diagnostic tests to pinpoint the exact cause of the tinnitus.
Tinnitus Diagnosis
Based on the above information, diagnosis of tinnitus begins with referring the patient to an audiologist to measure hearing and evaluate tinnitus and advises the following diagnostic tests:
- Physical examination
- Audiogram
- Air-borne test
- Imaging tests
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Non contrast MRI of the brain
- Auditory brainstem response test
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- CT angiography
- Ultrasonography
Physical examination: Physical examination findings are crucial for evaluating a patient with tinnitus. These include the examination of head, eyes, nose, neck, throat, and neurologic system, focusing on cerebellar function, cranial nerves, and cardiovascular system.
Audiogram: It is a hearing test that measures hearing levels to identify hearing loss. The patient is asked to identify which tone matches their tinnitus. The audiologist presents the sound at varying volumes, and the patient estimates the loudness of their tinnitus.
- Air-borne test: Hearing through the ear bone is tested and compared with hearing through the earphones. If the patient hears well with bone, this suggests a treatable condition called otosclerosis (the stapes fail to move properly). Tinnitus is relieved in some patients; however, it remains or worsens in others. The audiologist measures the duration for which tinnitus is relieved by the masking tone. A longer inhibition of tinnitus indicates a more favourable prognosis. An ENT doctor may advise the following tests, especially if the patient’s tinnitus pulsates.
Imaging tests: These tests are not usually performed for tinnitus unless there is an unexplained (ambiguous) difference in balance in the ears and hearing. They may be needed to detect a tumor or blood vessel abnormality.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): It is a recommended imaging test for the auditory canal and head with and without contrast media to evaluate asymmetric or unilateral, non-pulsatile tinnitus. It is also a preferred test for evaluating vestibular schwannoma (cerebellopontine angle lesion - abnormal growth or damage in the region where the cerebellum meets the pons in the brainstem) and masses of the auditory (hearing) pathway. If MRI availability is limited or MRI with contrast media is contraindicated, other options, such as non-contrast MRI, computed tomography, and auditory brainstem response test, will be considered for diagnosing tinnitus or associated underlying conditions with tinnitus.
- Non-contrast MRI of the brain: This test is comparably sensitive for assessing vestibular schwannoma; however, it may be less appropriate for detecting the other causes of tinnitus.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) test: This test screens for vestibular schwannoma and is highly sensitive for lesions (or masses) larger than 1 cm but less effective for smaller lesions.
- CT scan: It may evaluate osseous or vascular lesions but can miss tiny masses that could contribute to symptoms.
- CT angiography: A CT angiography of the head and neck or a temporal bone CT without contrast media is recommended for pulsatile tinnitus. A temporal-bone CT without contrast media mainly evaluates for middle ear adenomatous tumors or paragangliomas. CT angiography evaluates for an underlying vascular process including carotid stenosis (narrowing in carotid arteries), dural arteriovenous fistulas (abnormal connections between arteries and veins in the outer protective layer of brain called dura mater) or signs of spontaneous or idiopathic intracranial hypertension (elevated blood pressure within the skull without a clear underlying medical cause), among other causes of pulsatile tinnitus.
- Ultrasonography: It can help expose whether a structural problem or underlying condition is causing the tinnitus and also used to evaluate extracranial carotid stenosis (narrowing of the carotid arteries outside the skull), but positive findings are generally followed by magnetic resonance angiography or CT angiography.
✅Tinnitus Differential Diagnosis
A differential diagnosis is a list of possible medical conditions or diseases that can share the same symptoms in a person. The tinnitus has an extensive differential diagnosis, classified as follows:
- Cytomegalovirus: A common virus that can cause flu-like symptoms that are usually harmless and particularly concerning for babies and immunocompromised individuals.
- Meningitis: Inflammation of the fluid and protective membranes covering the spinal cord and brain, usually caused by infection.
- Hypercholesterolemia: Raised cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease.
- Lyme disease: The most commonly transmitted tick-borne infection, which is transmitted by ticks, causing symptoms such as headache, fever, and a characteristic skin rash.
- Measles: A highly contagious viral infection marked by a distinctive red rash, fever, and cough.
- Neoplasm: An abnormal growth of tissue, which can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), commonly known as a tumor.
- Neurosyphilis: A complication of syphilis that affects the nervous system, leading to neurological and psychiatric symptoms.
- Sickle cell anaemia: A genetic blood disorder characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells that cause pain and anaemia.
- Small vessel disease: A condition affecting the small blood vessels in the brain, often linked to stroke and cognitive decline.
- Stroke: A medical emergency where blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, causing brain damage and potentially loss of function.
- Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue that can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), affecting normal body functions.
✅Considerations of ENT physicians before selection of the treatment for tinnitus
The otolaryngologist considers the following before selecting the appropriate tests to diagnose tinnitus:
- The presented signs and symptoms (asks to describe tinnitus sounds)
- When the symptoms started
- Age, family history and general health of the suspected patient
- Medical history and medication history
- Underlying causes
- Location
- Onset
- Timing
- Medical history and medication history
- The results of previous medical tests
- Physical examination
Tinnitus Treatment
Treatment of tinnitus depends on the underlying physiological cause, such as jaw joint problems, hearing loss or earwax. Addressing these issues can eliminate or greatly reduce the associated symptoms. However, symptoms may persist for months or even years in many people. There are various methods to reduce the impact of tinnitus. The following are some of the treatments that an ENT doctor may suggest:
- Conservative treatments
- Medications
- Antidepressants:
- Antianxiety medications
- Corticosteroids
- Sound Therapy
- Hearing aids
- Wearable sound generators
- Tabletop or smartphone (mobile) sound generators
- Behavioural therapy
- Education
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Tinnitus retraining therapy
- Combination devices
- Surgical and invasive treatments
- Cochlear Implants
- Stereotactic radiosurgery
- Cochlear and vestibulocochlear nerve ablation
- Deep brain and extradural stimulation
- Microvascular decompression
Conservative treatments
The following are some of the non-medical treatments used to manage tinnitus. No single approach works for everyone, and a patient may need to try various combinations of techniques before finding what works:
Medications
There are no specific tinnitus medicines (FDA-approved drugs) for treating tinnitus; however, healthcare professionals may reduce the impact of tinnitus by treating anxiety, insomnia, and depression by prescribing anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants to improve mood or help people relax and fall asleep. While certain herbal extracts, vitamins, and dietary supplements are commonly promoted as cures for the condition, none of these have been proven to be effective.
- Antidepressants: Address symptoms such as depression or anxiety
- Anti-anxiety medications: Help manage the emotional impact of tinnitus
- Corticosteroids: Prescribed if tinnitus is due to inner ear inflammation
Sound Therapy (tinnitus sound therapy)
Sound therapies are based partly on the idea that tinnitus results from alterations in neural circuits in the brain due to hearing loss. Some evidence indicates that exposure to certain types of sound can reverse some of these neural changes and help reduce the severity of tinnitus. Sound therapy may also be effective by masking the tinnitus sounds, helping individuals to get used to them, or providing a distraction.
Masking devices (Tinnitus masker): Various types of devices are used in sound therapy, which include:
- Hearing aids: These are one of the main treatment options for patients with tinnitus who have hearing loss. These aids amplify external noises, allowing the patient to better engage with the world, while making the tinnitus condition subtle (less noticeable).
- Wearable sound generators: These are tiny electronic devices that fit in the patient's ear, much like hearing aids, and emits pleasant, soft sounds. Because they are movable, lightweight, convenient, handy, and easily carried (portable), these devices can provide persistent relief from tinnitus throughout the day.
Mobile apps may also be used to generate these sounds.
- Tabletop or smartphone (mobile) sound generators: These are typically used to aid sleep or relaxation. Placed near the bed, a patient can program a generator or set up a mobile app to play pleasant sounds, including waves, rain, waterfalls, the sounds of a summer night, or other sounds.
The patient can use other sound generators, including a radio or a household fan. If the tinnitus is mild, this might be all that is needed to help the patient fall asleep.
- Combination devices: These are devices that fit into the ear, like hearing aids, amplify sound and generate sound in one device.
Behavioural therapy
It is another treatment option in which counselling can improve the patient's well-being by reducing the impact of tinnitus on life.
- Education: Awareness about tinnitus may reduce anxiety by helping the patient recognise and understand that tinnitus is unlikely to be linked to a serious underlying medical condition in most patients. Through counselling, patients can learn coping techniques and strategies to prevent their symptoms from worsening, such as limiting their exposure to loud noises.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy: This therapy teaches the patient how to recognise negative thoughts that are causing distress. A healthcare counsellor will train the patient to alter their response to negative thoughts and concentrate on positive changes that the patient can make to reduce the impact of tinnitus on life. Some researchers have shown that this therapy may help enhance the well-being of patients with tinnitus.
- Tinnitus retraining therapy: This therapy uses sound therapy and counselling to "retrain" the brain, both physiologically and emotionally, so that a person no longer notices the tinnitus. The counselling aspect of therapy aims to aid in reclassifying tinnitus sounds as neutral. Wearing a device that emits a continuous low-level sound in the ear can help the patient adapt to the presence of tinnitus.
Surgical and Invasive Treatments
Currently, various surgical options are available to address tinnitus, targeting different levels of the auditory system with varying success, including
- Cochlear Implants: These remain an important surgical treatment method for managing tinnitus that occurs due to sensorineural hearing loss. These implants are indicated in persons with disruptive sensorineural hearing loss with synchronous tinnitus, whose frequency is close to the frequency range of the hearing loss. Thus, cochlear implants have been revealed to have an overall (general) average success rate of greater than 90% cumulatively for persons with all levels of tinnitus with complete tinnitus suppression ranging from 37% to 61% of patients.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery: Tinnitus is a common symptom in persons who suffer from vestibular schwannomas (benign tumors that develop on the vestibulocochlear nerve, affecting balance and hearing), with an average rate of incidence of 63% in symptomatic tumors. Treatment modalities for patients with vestibular schwannomas include conservative (non-medical) management with serial imaging with MRI microsurgery and/or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)/radiotherapy. The weakening of hearing following SRS (stereotactic radiosurgery) is a well-known and documented treatment modality for vestibular schwannomas. The response to stereotactic radiation, whether with single or multiple fractions, has been largely unpredictable in improving tinnitus; however, some patients have experienced improvement after treatment.
- Cochlear and vestibulocochlear nerve ablation: Increased activity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a key factor in the development of subjective tinnitus. This increased activity persists even after removal of the cochlea on the same side, suggesting that the neural overexcitability and spontaneous nerve firing associated with tinnitus originates from the central nervous system. Surgical removal of the vestibulocochlear nerve has been suggested as a potential treatment for tinnitus, but studies have not shown significant improvement or worsening of tinnitus as a result. Surgical removal of the vestibulocochlear nerve has relieved tinnitus in some cases. However, this relief was a secondary effect of addressing the primary issue, which could be a vestibular schwannoma, Ménière's disease, or chronic labyrinthitis. Removing the auditory nerve may not directly cause relief of tinnitus.
- Deep brain and extradural stimulation: However, as per recent studies, people with movement disorders and concomitant tinnitus who underwent the procedure called (DBS) Deep Brain Stimulation reported a decrease in tinnitus loudness (amplitude) when stimulation began.
- Microvascular decompression: The compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve by nearby blood vessels, which has been found to be a potential cause of tinnitus. Surgical decompression of the auditory nerve from the compressing vessels significantly reduced tinnitus and normalised patients. Success rates for decompression averaged between 51% and 66% postoperatively, with long-term success rates averaging around 52%.
Tinnitus Treatment Cost in Hyderabad, India
Cost of Tinnitus treatment in Hyderabad, India typically ranges between ₹3,000 and ₹1,50,000 (~US$35 to US$1,785). The final cost may vary depending on the underlying diagnostic evaluations, type of treatment (medical, sound therapy, or surgical interventions), duration of treatment, follow-up sessions, and whether the expenses are covered under health insurance or corporate wellness programs.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
- Medical Management: ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 (~US$36 to US$60) - Includes medications, basic ENT consultation, and lifestyle advice.
- Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT): ₹12,000 to ₹26,000 (~US$144 to US$313) - Combines sound therapy with psychological counseling to reduce the perception of tinnitus over time.
- Tinnitus Masker Device: ₹32,000 to ₹46,000 (~US$379 to US$544)- A wearable device that emits low-level sound to mask tinnitus and improve daily function.
Surgical Treatment Options
- Tinnitus Surgery: ₹1,00,000 to ₹1,50,000 (~US$1,186 to US$1,780) - Applicable in cases where structural causes (like nerve compression) are identified.
- Advanced Surgical Treatment for Complex Cases: ₹2,50,000 to ₹3,75,000 (~US$2,950 to US$4,425)–May include procedures like ossiculoplasty (middle ear bone reconstruction) or tympanoplasty (ear drum repair) if hearing loss or middle ear pathology coexists.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) On Tinnitus Treatment
Can tinnitus cause hearing loss?
No, tinnitus doesn't cause hearing loss, but it can be linked with hearing loss, which can interfere with hearing. Tinnitus is a symptom of hearing loss. Although severe tinnitus can interfere with hearing, the condition does not cause hearing loss.
Why does tinnitus occur?
The exact causes of tinnitus are not fully known or understood; however, according to some studies, there are many possible causes, including earwax buildup, ear infection, noise exposure, head or neck injuries, metabolic diseases, and some medications that can cause tinnitus as a side effect. Additionally, other conditions such as Ménière’s disease, thyroid disorders, otosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety or depression can all be associated with tinnitus.
Is tinnitus common?
Yes, tinnitus is common, affecting millions of people globally. Around 15% of the world's population has tinnitus, which is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 80. Most people experience temporary tinnitus, like after a concert. However, approximately 20 million people have ongoing tinnitus, and 2 million have severe cases. Tinnitus can be a minor problem, but it can also be very uncomfortable and distressful, impacting the ability to focus, sleep, and concentrate.
How long does tinnitus last?
Tinnitus, a condition with varying durations, typically subsides within a few days when caused by loud noise exposure, offering a sense of relief.
Tinnitus caused by certain medications usually resolves once the drugs are discontinued. Once the blockage is removed, the tinnitus may be alleviated in patients with excessive ear wax. Tinnitus caused by Ménière's disease may not resolve easily because the disease is usually slowly progressive. Tinnitus that lasts for three months or more is considered chronic, where the ENT doctor chooses treatment options based on the underlying cause.
When should I see a doctor about tinnitus?
A patient should see a doctor if tinnitus persists for more than a few days, worsens over time, or is accompanied by hearing loss, dizziness, or pain. It's also important to consult if it interferes with sleep or daily life.
What is the difference between subjective tinnitus and objective tinnitus?
For most people with tinnitus, the experience is subjective. This means they perceive sound without an external acoustic stimulus. It's the common type of tinnitus that most patients experience. On the other hand, objective tinnitus is a rare form where the troubling sound can, in some patients, be heard by other people (eg: doctor while testing). It typically results from noise generated by structures located in or close the ear, such as a condition in the inner ear bone, a blood vessel issue, or muscle contractions.
Can ear wax cause tinnitus?
Yes, ear canal blockage due to earwax or fluid from an ear infection can trigger tinnitus or ringing in the ears. Earwax is normally produced in the right amount to provide lubrication within the ear, but sometimes the body produces excessive earwax, or it can get stuck in the ear canal, resulting in many ear problems such as tinnitus, hearing loss, ear irritation, etc.
How can I prevent tinnitus from getting worse?
To prevent tinnitus from worsening, avoid exposure to loud noises and wear ear protection when necessary. Additionally, limiting alcohol, managing stress and caffeine intake, and keeping blood pressure in check can help reduce symptoms.
Does tinnitus mean that one is going deaf?
No, tinnitus is often a sign that there has been some kind of damage to the auditory system, but it does not mean the patient will become deaf. Tinnitus does not cause hearing loss, although the two often coexist.
Can other people hear my tinnitus?
In most cases, tinnitus symptoms are only audible to the person experiencing them, which is known as subjective tinnitus. However, in rare cases, others may be able to hear the ringing or buzzing sound. These instances are known as objective tinnitus and account for less than 1% of all tinnitus cases.
How can I sleep better with tinnitus?
People with tinnitus often find it worse at night, making it hard to sleep. To help, try playing soothing music or other low-level background noise to distract from the ringing. The idea is to provide a pleasant sound for a person to focus on instead of tinnitus.
