The AudioNotch Tinnitus Treatment Blog

What does a Tinnitus Masker do?

A masker of tinnitus is a device or white noise machine that generates sounds in order to mask or cover up the ringing in your years. The audio array released by the device could be white noise, patterned sounds or specially tailored sounds that are customized based on the frequency of your tinnitus. They work by making the ambient noise of your environment louder than the noise that is coming from within your ears. The sounds made by the devices are designed to be comforting and less intrusive than the tinnitus noise.

Types of Sound that a Tinnitus Masker Can Generate

A tinnitus masking device can generate just about any type of sound. Each person has a different minimum masking level. The device can make cyclical sounds such as the sound of the surf or a vacuum cleaner. They can also make regular sounds such as the sound of the wind or a waterfall. Some devices are made to generate brown, pink or white noise. If you need to wear the masker throughout the day and night, it needs to be set at a volume of 70 dB or lower to avoid hearing loss.

Who May Benefit from a Tinnitus Masker?

Anyone who suffers from tinnitus could benefit from the use of a masker. These devices are especially helpful for people who have a sleep partner and cannot play a CD or MP3 of sounds. The maskers fit on or within the ear. They can also be paired with a sound pillow. The pillows have speakers that work in conjunction with the masker. This creates a sort of surround-sound effect that fully masks the tinnitus so the person can fall asleep without being disturbed by the sounds of ringing in ears.

Choosing a Tinnitus Masker for Your Situation

Each person’s experience with tinnitus is different. The sound of your tinnitus could be different from another person’s. Your tinnitus frequency could also change over time. When selecting a tinnitus masker, consider the units produced by AudioNotch. The tailor-made notched sound therapy allows you to choose a white noise that is comforting to you and masks the sound of your tinnitus frequency. Some of their offerings include the sounds of autumn wind, heavy rain or a kitchen sink. Their sound files are about ten minutes long and can be repeated for as long as necessary.