Buzzing, ringing and hissing in the ear are common symptoms of a condition known as tinnitus. You may feel that you’re alone in experiencing symptoms of tinnitus, but you’re not! In fact, it’s estimated that over 50 million Americans are affected by the condition.
Sometimes referred to as “ringing in the ears,” tinnitus is the perception of sounds which are not produced by a source outside of the body. This “phantom” auditory perception is generated somewhere in the auditory pathways.
If you are dealing with tinnitus, you may at times find it difficult to handle. There are, however, ways that you can minimize the symptoms. Today, we’re looking at 5 life hacks for people dealing with tinnitus.
5 Life Hacks for People Dealing with Tinnitus
- Protect Your Hearing in Loud Environments – Protecting your ears in loud environments is the best way to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). But if you suffer with tinnitus, it’s even more important to protect your hearing in loud environments. There are studies that have shown the links between noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. By using earplugs in a loud environment you can protect your hearing and reduce the likelihood of your tinnitus symptoms worsening. For more information about how noise can affect your health, please click here.
- Meditation & Relaxation – Our body can be affected by stress in multiple ways. But what you may not be aware of, is that there is increasing evidence that stress can trigger or worsen tinnitus symptoms. Meditation and relaxation is not only important to help your stress levels, it may also have the added benefit of reducing your tinnitus symptoms.
- Tinnitus Masker – Sound masking can be a good way of dealing with tinnitus symptoms. Background noise can help to offer temporary relief by drowning out the sounds of tinnitus. Common tinnitus maskers include: sound machines, white noise machines, in-ear masking devices, fans. Certain types of hearing aids may also include a masking feature.
- Distraction – Distracting yourself may be easier said than done, especially if you’re experiencing severe tinnitus symptoms. But it has been shown that distraction is a good way of dealing with the symptoms. Why not try going for a walk. The added stimulus from your environment may help to minimize the symptoms of tinnitus. You could also try playing a game, or listening to music (at a safe volume, of course). The more senses you involve in your distraction, the more likely you are to successfully distract yourself from tinnitus symptoms.
- Book a Hearing Assessment – 90% of individuals with tinnitus also have hearing loss. So if you have been experiencing symptoms of tinnitus, it may be time to consider visiting your local hearing care professional. A hearing assessment will be able to determine if you are experiencing any hearing loss. Approximately 80% of patients report relief and lessening of their tinnitus symptoms simply using prescription based digital hearing instruments.
While there is unfortunately not a cure for tinnitus, there are ways to lessen the symptoms. If you’d like to book in for a hearing assessment, or if you would like to speak to a hearing care professional about your tinnitus, please come in to Anderson Audiology. Book a consultation with us by calling 702-997-2964 or click here.