Tinnitus is a recurring problem, and I’ve been using various medications and physical therapy, but I can’t get better. Recently, I heard that there is a “masking sound therapy”, but the “buzzing” in the ears is already annoying enough, let’s add another sound to it and let people live. People can hear a sound in a quiet environment, even if the sound is very small, which means that the hearing threshold (lower limit of hearing) of the human ear for this sound can be very low. However, while listening to a sound, if there is another sound (called masking sound), it will affect the hearing effect of the original sound, resulting in inaudibility or even inability to hear the original sound. This means that the threshold of the human ear for the original sound is increased and the sensitivity is reduced due to the presence of the masking sound. Many tinnitus patients find that tinnitus is most pronounced in the dead of night or when they are meditating alone, while in noisy environments tinnitus is reduced or disappears, which is the “masking effect” of noisy environmental sounds on tinnitus. Therefore, it can be said that using another sound at the right volume can reduce or even cancel out the tinnitus, so that 1+1=0. So, which patients are suitable for such a treatment? Generally speaking, for patients who have suffered from tinnitus for a long time, if the cause can be found, the treatment should be tailored to the cause. If the cause cannot be found and the patient has already developed anxiety, depression and insomnia because of tinnitus, he or she should consult with a neuropsychologist for the symptom, and may need to use anti-anxiety, anti-depressant and sedative drugs to maintain a good mental state. Some patients will also experience panic attacks and shortness of breath, and need to seek symptomatic treatment from cardiology. Some patients have poor appetite, indigestion and stomach ulcers because of tinnitus, and need to go to gastroenterology for treatment. If the tinnitus still refuses to go away, then masking sound treatment is appropriate. In this treatment, the doctor will first test the patient to find the frequency and loudness of the tinnitus, then design a targeted sound and use the “masking effect” to give the patient a masking sound therapy device to relieve the effect of the tinnitus on the patient. Through a period of treatment, the patient’s perception of the tinnitus sound will gradually fade, and generally after 3 months, 6 months or a year, many patients will be able to get rid of the tinnitus. In fact, the sound of tinnitus does not really disappear, but rather the “masking effect” prevents the patient from feeling the effects of tinnitus. This method is non-invasive and does not require medication, especially for tinnitus patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding, so that they do not have to worry about the effects of medication on their children. This treatment is continued for several months or even a year until the tinnitus no longer bothers the patient. There are clinically relevant masked sound therapy devices available. Patients can consult their doctor and then pick the right model for them at the hospital or at a pharmacy. Once you learn how to use it, you can treat yourself at home, usually on a daily basis. Pay attention to regular follow-ups to monitor the progress of the disease. There are also patients who can find the right masking sound treatment tool for them in their daily life. One such patient, who was troubled by tinnitus, was buying fish at the vegetable market one day and came across an oxygen supply machine that was bubbling oxygen to the fish in the tank, and this patient suddenly realized that his tinnitus was gone. So he bought a fish tank at home, and while raising fish, the sound of the oxygen machine drumming bubbles could also cure his tinnitus. Of course, everyone’s subjective feelings about tinnitus are different, and patients should seek professional and appropriate treatment according to their tinnitus feelings. In addition, it is important to learn to adjust one’s mind and divert attention from tinnitus. In fact, the more patients focus on their tinnitus, the more likely they are to unknowingly magnify the feeling of tinnitus. Therefore, adjust your mindset to not be overly concerned about tinnitus and not always think about how annoying it is, and perhaps the accompanying symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia will improve.