Tips for Managing Tinnitus

Have you been up again listening to a pervasive ringing in your ears all night, rather than getting the rest you need to feel refreshed the next day? This is tinnitus and it can be more stressful and interruptive to daily life than many might suspect. What starts with a ringing in the ears or another phantom sound such as a roar, whoosh, mysterious music, buzz, or hum, can quickly escalate into interrupted sleep, insomnia, and issues staying focused during the day. Because tinnitus is a perceived condition, it can be hard to find a solution. However, we are here to help you navigate the buzz and find some reduction of symptoms and less stress in your life every day.

How Dangerous is Tinnitus?

Many people underestimate how serious tinnitus can be. After all, how what starts as a phantom sound can become a very stressful situation. As the stress levels build, many people find that it instigates the symptoms of tinnitus, making them more centered in your consciousness. Of the roughly 50 million people who suffer from tinnitus in the United States, 20 million people report symptoms so severe that it interferes with their daily life. Meanwhile, 2 million report symptoms severe enough to be described as debilitating. However, in addition to stress, tinnitus is often caused by exposure to noise, hearing damage, impact to the head, certain medications or even a buildup of earwax. If you are having tinnitus, it not only can be a signal of hearing loss but many other health conditions. It’s important to visit a doctor to examine the greater sources and causes of tinnitus which is interrupting your life. We can help you come up with solutions to help you manage your symptoms. Here are some common methods for managing tinnitus in your life.

Explore therapy

Tinnitus is a perceived condition, meaning how we react and regard it can make a difference in how serious of an impact it can have on your life. Many therapists use a conversational therapy technique of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to navigate your reaction to tinnitus when it does appear. Others have found a similar method called  tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) which works by training your brain to focus on something other than the tinnitus sounds. It works under the premise that if you focus on a subtle sound such as the ticking of a clock it can feel very loud. Learning to focus away from the sounds of tinnitus can sink the sound in the back of your consciousness instead of the forefront.

Reducing Stress

The more stressed you are, the harder it is to manage tinnitus. Anything you can do to bring down your stress levels whether it is exercise, yoga, meditation or acupuncture has had positive reports of lowered tinnitus symptoms. In addition, an active lifestyle during the day ensures that you will be more tired at night, getting deeper sleep and calmer during the day to navigate stressful experiences.

Masking Sounds

Many people find that while you can’t cure tinnitus, that you can cover up the sound. For those who are kept awake at night by the sound of tinnitus, it may be wise to invest in a white noise machine that blocks out tinnitus buzz. Others enjoy the radio or relaxing music to ease them into sleep and limit stress leading up to sleep.

Addressing a Hearing Loss

While not everyone with hearing loss has tinnitus, 90 percent of people with tinnitus have hearing loss. If you can’t escape the buzz of tinnitus, you may benefit from hearing aids. Not only does amplifying hearing help to improve your stress around tinnitus, you may find that it can also lessen symptoms as well. Better communication means more self-confidence and less stress every day. In addition, today, more and more hearing aids offer tinnitus masking technology which matches the wave of your tinnitus, based on a list of examples of common sound samples of tinnitus. This effectively can cancel the sound of your tinnitus, allowing you to block it out whenever you wear your hearing aids.

If you have tinnitus, it could mean a hearing loss is rapidly developing. Take the time to contact us today to set up a hearing exam and consultation. We have so many solutions to address hearing loss and tinnitus, so contact us today!