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How to Manage Tinnitus: Coping Strategies and Lifestyle Changes
Approximately 10% of Americans have tinnitus in some form, making it one of the most common hearing complaints. There are different levels of tinnitus, and people often experience the sounds differently, too. One in five million United States citizens have chronic tinnitus.
Here are some of the common tinnitus sounds:
- Sizzling
- Crackling
- Roaring
- Whooshing
- Humming
- Blowing
- High-pitched noises
Running water
Although there are others that have been reported, too, some are intermittent while others are constant. With tinnitus, the noise is not heard by anyone else and is one of the reasons it can be so frustrating. We do not know the cause of tinnitus, so there is no cure. However, tinnitus can be managed in a range of ways.
Anxiety and Tinnitus
Tinnitus can be caused by changes in the ear, and one of the most common things that cause a range of health conditions is stress. Stress and anxiety do impact tinnitus, and some people with tinnitus notice that it is triggered during stressful periods in their life. Stress and anxiety management is a big part of reducing tinnitus. Although everyday stressors are common, looking for ways to manage high-stress periods can dramatically help.
Advice
When you first notice you have tinnitus, it is a good idea to book an appointment to discuss this. One of the most important things you will get from this action is advice, information and support. Your audiologist may order a round of tests to see what is going on – and if hearing aids might be one of the ways to help. Hearing aids can help because they amplify the sounds around you and will help to take the focus off the tinnitus. Advice and information can help you to understand tinnitus and all of the options that you have.
Counseling
Depending on the severity of the tinnitus, it can make social situations, work, learning and sleeping difficult. This can have a negative impact on your mental health. Counseling for tinnitus can teach you a range of tools to use to help make sure that you can live your day-to-day life.
Cognitive behavior therapy can be used to help cope with the sounds you hear and help to train your brain not to listen to them or pay as much attention. The counseling will be used in conjunction with other recommended strategies and management from your audiologist.
Lifestyle Changes
Your tinnitus might have specific food or drink triggers, and while the odd cup of coffee has been shown to have no impact for some – that might not be the case for everyone. Food choices have an effect on your whole body, so it is a good idea to start taking notes.
If you notice that spicy food, caffeine, fried food or even dairy increases how noticeable your tinnitus is, you can discuss options with your audiologist about cutting those out. Ensuring that you sleep regularly and pay attention to your physical health all have a positive impact on tinnitus management.
Sound Therapy
For people in quiet rooms, their tinnitus will be much more noticeable – because, for them, it is the loud noise in the room. Sound therapy has been shown to have a positive effect on people with tinnitus by helping to take the focus away from it. Instead of having the sound of the tinnitus front and center, other noises can help to mask it. There are apps that have been designed to pull the focus away from tinnitus, although sleep stories and calming mobile applications can be helpful too.
Background noise like the radio or the TV can be helpful, although some people invest in a sound machine so that it isn’t too noisy. When it comes to sleeping, this can be difficult if you live with people who need silence. There are headbands and pillows that have small headphones in them so you can listen to music in bed or whenever you need to without disturbing other people.
Take some time to explore different sounds, mobile applications and music and even try a fan or another humming type of device. Start to build a personal tools kit of sounds that can help you when you need to take control of the tinnitus for a while. Over time you will build a smart tool kit for managing your tinnitus and reducing the impact it has on your daily life.
There are many options for managing your tinnitus, and you can get advice and support from Adirondack Audiology. Call us today at (888) 347-5899.
