5 Ways to help manage the ringing of Tinnitus
Tinnitus has been defined as hearing sounds in your ears that are not produced by any external source. Usually this perception is inaudible to others, in very rare cases it can be. There are very rare incidents of the condition that are caused by sounds generated by the body that can actually be heard by others. These are exceptionally rare cases that usually involve some issue in the middle ear, outer ear or nasopharynx of the person with the condition.
Not a Disease But a Symptom
It appears that the condition can be caused by thousands of things, including hearing loss, ear infections, noise exposure, ear wax, stress, extreme weight change, and a variety of medications. Most often though, the underlying cause is hearing loss. It most often presents as ringing, hissing, or buzzing in the ears. Tinnitus is not a disease, it is a symptom of an underlying problem. There has been a huge amount of research into the condition over the last ten years.
Researchers now feel that in the majority of cases, the condition is caused by overactive neurons in the auditory centre of the brain. This area handles the processing and perception of sound. It is felt that because those areas are no longer being stimulated by sound as they should, they can begin to be stimulated by another source and become hyperactive.
No Known Cure
Depending on the cause though, at this stage there is no known cure for the condition, but tinnitus management devices, sound therapy, and counselling can help to better manage the condition. Tinnitus management treatment trains Patients to use methods of coping and strategies to help your brain to ignore the ringing. Your brain has the ability to ignore sounds, it does so every day with many external, unimportant sounds.
If whooshing, buzzing, or ringing in your ears is interfering with your sleep, concentration, and quality of life, then it’s probably Tinnitus. The effect of the condition on a person can vary from being a slight annoyance to a debilitating condition. Here are five tips from the hearing aid manufacturer Widex for turning down the volume on tinnitus:
Tune out Tinnitus
An important element in the treatment of the condition is the use of sound. Amplified sound from hearing aids, environmental influences, music, or noise generators can help to minimize the contrast between the buzzing or ringing of tinnitus and the surrounding sound of the world.
Avoid Tinnitus Triggers
Noise exposure is thought to be a leading cause of the condition. Wear ear protection when around loud sounds. If there is a food or drink that you ingest that appears to make your Tinnitus worse, such as coffee or wine, avoid it. It is thought that some foods can exacerbate the effects of Tinnitus.
Get a Tinnitus Evaluation
Assessment and counselling with an experienced Audiologist trained in managing tinnitus can help determine the cause of the tinnitus and minimize the negative impact it may have on your quality of life. It is important to find out what is the underlying cause of the problem. The effects of the condition can often be lessened by Tinnitus Therapy using a combination of counselling and sound stimulation.
Use a Tinnitus Management Device
Many Tinnitus management devices look similar hearing aids and have special technology to help you get relief from tinnitus. If you have tinnitus and a hearing loss, many hearing aid manufacturers now produce combination devices that help with both problems. If the condition is not accompanied by hearing loss, there are many sound generator devices available such as ZEN2GO from Widex.
Try To Relax
Tinnitus and stress form a vicious circle, the condition can be stressful and the more stressed you are the worse the condition gets. Read a book, go for a walk, practice breathing techniques and any other method that helps you relax.
Tinnitus can have a large effect on someone’s life, often the biggest effect is the worry about what is causing it. Simply finding out that there is no malignant cause may be enough to help someone to cope. In other cases, counselling and sound therapy is the way forward. As we said, there is no cure for hearing loss, but there is effective treatment. If you have any queries or you would like your Tinnitus assessed, don’t hesitate to call us on 01792 650 894
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