Tinnitus therapy in Frankfurt

Basic information on tinnitus

• Acute vs. chronic tinnitus
  Ringing in the ears that does not last longer than three months falls under the classification of acute tinnitus. If the ringing in the ears has been present for longer, it is referred to as chronic tinnitus.
• Objective vs. subjective tinnitus
  In the case of objective tinnitus, for example, we can also hear a noise when listening with a stethoscope. This is due to a sound wave forming in your ear. One reason for this may be a constricted artery in the ear area. The situation is different with subjective tinnitus: here there is no sound wave caused by a change in the body. This means that only you hear the beeping.
• Physical vs. psychological vs. idiopathic causes
  Various triggers can lead to tinnitus. For example, ringing in the ears can be caused by a physical illness. In addition to diseases of the ears (e.g. middle ear infection, sudden hearing loss) or injuries to the eardrum, cardiovascular problems, muscle tension in the cervical spine/neck or dental and jaw problems can also cause ringing in the ears. This also applies to certain inflammations in the body or autoimmune diseases. In addition, a blast or explosion trauma can lead to tinnitus. In addition to physical causes, psychological problems can also cause a ringing in the ears - as a reaction of the body to ongoing professional/private stress or other psychological problems. There is not always a clear cause to explain the ringing in the ears. In this case, it is idiopathic tinnitus.

Tinnitus therapy Frankfurt: In these cases you should come to us

Even if you are understandably worried when you notice ringing in your ears: Tinnitus is not a medical emergency! For this reason, it is important that you remain calm at first. The noises often disappear as quickly as they came and your hearing will normalise again after a few minutes or hours. There is also no need to worry if the ringing persists for a day or two.

If there is no improvement after this period, we ask you to make an appointment at our ENT clinic in Frankfurt. After taking a detailed medical history, we will examine you carefully to find out the cause of the ringing in your ears. If we suspect a cause that does not fall within the spectrum of ENT medicine If the patient's condition originates from a medical condition, we consult other medical colleagues such as cardiologists, orthopaedists and internists.

Tinnitus therapy Frankfurt: Cortisone can help

If there is no improvement after two days at the latest, we can start tinnitus therapy with cortisone. This active ingredient is recommended by the German Society for Ear, Nose and Throat Medicine, Head and Neck Surgery as a state-of-the-art drug for the treatment of ringing in the ears.

It is not yet known exactly how cortisone affects tinnitus. The medication presumably has a positive effect on the composition of the fluid in the inner ear due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, cortisone can have a stimulating effect on the circulation and thus improve blood flow in the inner ear. Apparently, there are corresponding receptors in the cochlea of the inner ear. They are to be understood as "docking sites" on cells that are orientated towards the binding of certain active substances. If this active substance binds to the corresponding receptors, a pharmacological effect can occur.

Tinnitus therapy with cortisone is possible in various ways: on the one hand, you can take the active ingredient in tablet form, on the other hand, intravenous administration by infusion is also possible. We also have the option of intratympanic therapy - where we inject the medication directly into your middle ear.

We will decide which treatment approach is best for you after extensive examinations, which also include Hearing tests include.

About the active substance cortisone

The active ingredient belongs to the so-called glucocorticosteroids, which occur naturally in the human body as hormones. They can be produced artificially and used as medication. The term cortisone is often used colloquially for active substances that belong to this group of drugs (e.g. prednisolone, betamethasone, mometasone).

The medication has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. It can also help to alleviate pain associated with inflammation. Cortisone also has an anti-allergic, decongestant and circulatory stimulating effect. It is immunosuppressive and makes the body's defence activities less aggressive.

The medicine is used to treat asthma, allergies, inflammatory diseases, rheumatism and skin diseases, among other things. Also in the Tinnitus therapy the active ingredient plays an important role.

There is a lot of misinformation about the drug: many patients assume that cortisone is a "hammer", has severe side effects and is only used for the most serious illnesses. However, these are completely misconceptions. Even taking large amounts of cortisone is harmless for a short time. If long-term treatment becomes necessary, doctors now only use very low doses.

As the drug has been further developed and improved over the years, the risk of side effects is now much lower than many people believe. Moreover, the side effects depend on the form in which the active ingredient is administered: Cortisone is available in tablet form, as a spray, injection, infusion or as a cream to apply to the skin.

Tinnitus therapy Frankfurt: these options are available

• Therapy for objective tinnitus
  In this case, there is a physical cause that is causing the beep. If you have the underlying cause (e.g. blood pressure problems) treated, there is a greater chance that the tinnitus will diminish or even disappear. Treatment with cortisone is also suitable for acute cases.
• Therapy for subjective tinnitus
  Unfortunately, there is no "real" trigger here that we can eliminate with appropriate treatment. Nevertheless, cortisone therapy is worth a try in the acute stage. We have had good experiences with this in many patients and have achieved an improvement.