The actual issue with chronic tinnitus is not only that you have a ringing in your ears. It’s the constant non-stop ringing, that’s the real issue.
The continuous noise, possibly rather moderate in volume, may start as little more than a nuisance. But the ringing can become aggravating and even debilitating if it goes on for days or months or more.
That’s why it’s crucial to have some tips you can rely on, tips that make living with tinnitus less difficult. It can make a big difference if you have a plan when you’re lying in bed unable to fall asleep because of the ringing or buzzing in your ear.
Your Tinnitus Can be Exacerbated
It’s beneficial to remember that tinnitus is frequently not static. There are spikes and valleys in the manifestation of symptoms. At times, your tinnitus may be an afterthought, hidden in the background of everyday life. At other times the noises will be shrieking in your ears so loudly it’s impossible to dismiss.
This can be a very uncertain and scary situation. Maybe you even experience panic attacks while driving to work because you’re concerned about your tinnitus flaring up while you’re in a meeting. That panic attack, in and of itself, can lead to the very situation you’re worried about.
Tips For Coping With Tinnitus
You will be in a greater position to plan for and manage tinnitus the more you know about it. And, because there’s no known cure for tinnitus, control of symptoms is vital. There’s no reason that your quality of life needs to suffer if you establish the proper treatment.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is One Option
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a common strategy for tinnitus management. The analogy that gets used most often is the sound of rain on your roof: it’s very loud and noticeable when it first begins but by the time the storm is ending you stop paying attention to it and recedes into the background. TRT uses the same concept to teach your brain to move the tinnitus symptoms into the background of your thoughts so you will have an easier time tuning it out.
Mastering this technique can take some practice.
Get Your Brain Distracted
One reason tinnitus can be so infuriating is because your brain is constantly searching for the source of that sound, attempting to alert you to its presence. So giving your brain a variety of different sounds to concentrate on can be very helpful. Try these:
- Do some drawing or painting while playing music.
- Take a bubble bath while reading a book.
- Take a book to the park and listen to the birds while you read.
You get the idea: engaging your brain can help you manage your tinnitus.
Meditation, as an alternate approach, helps you focus your attention on a mantra, or your breathing which helps take your focus away from your tinnitus. Another benefit of meditation, at least for some people, is that it can decrease blood pressure which is a known cause of tinnitus symptoms.
Manage Tinnitus With a Hearing Aid
Hearing aids that help decrease tinnitus symptoms are already being manufactured by a number of hearing aid companies. Hearing aids are a great option because you put them in and can forget about them the whole day, you don’t need to carry around a white noise generator or constantly use an app. The ringing will be managed by the hearing aid and you can relax and enjoy your life.
Have a Plan (And Stick to it)
Having a plan for unexpected surges can help you control your stress-out response, and that can help you minimize certain tinnitus episodes (or at least keep from exacerbating them). Pack a bag of useful items to bring with you. Anything that can help you be equipped for a tinnitus surge, even generating a list of useful exercises will be beneficial because it will keep you from having a panic attack!
The Key is Management
There’s no cure for tinnitus which is usually chronic. But that doesn’t mean that individuals cannot manage and treat their tinnitus. These everyday tips (and more like them) can help make sure you are living with tinnitus, and not suffering from tinnitus.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3303565/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5050200/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17956798/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4447068/
https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008664