Tinnitus Management

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus  is the sensation of hearing a sound when there is not external source  for that sound. It is commonly heard as whistling, buzzing, ringing,  hissing or crackling. They may be a single sound or a complex series of  sounds. Tinnitus can be perceived in one ear, both ears, or in the head.  Some people experience pulsatile tinnitus which is an arhythmical noise  that usually has the same rate as the heart. 

What causes Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is not a disease but a common symptom of a variety of underlying diseases.  It is very rare tinnitus is a sign of any impending disease. Because  it involves the perception of hearing sound, it is commonly associated  with the hearing system, anywhere from our ear to the brain. In  general, there are many potential causes of tinnitus, such as noise  exposure, presbycusis, otosclerosis, impacted earwax, sudden deafness,  ear infection, physical injury (e.g. head trauma, whiplash), multiple  sclerosis, muscle spasms, and circulatory changes.

In  most cases the dominant cause of tinnitus is hearing loss, specifically  damage to the inner ear. Excessive noise exposure represents the second  most common cause of tinnitus. Tinnitus can also develop whilst experiencing a distressing life event, emotional crisis or even a life-style change.

Tinnitus, Brain, Treatments

Tinnitus  can be a result of activity in the brain which is perceived as sound.  In cases of people with hearing loss, this may be caused by the brain  trying to compensate for lack of auditory stimulation from the ear. How we perceive tinnitus has the potential to disrupt our connection with life and impact significantly on overall well-being. For most individuals, the brain is able to suppress and ignore the tinnitus and the tinnitus remains in unattended to in the background. However, some react negatively to tinnitus and it can become highly disturbing, causing depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, interference with concentration; all which can be made worse by stress. 

No  matter how severe your tinnitus, it is important to know that tinnitus  is not a disease and that support is available to help you overcome it. Although, there is no one “cure” for tinnitus, there are a number of treatments that can help patients with tinnitus manage the condition. The aims of these treatments are to reduce the intensity of tinnitus and to relieve the annoyance associated with tinnitus. 

How to Start

At  The Hearing Specialist, we understand that chronic tinnitus is not all  about perception of sound, as for some it can affect the overall  well-being. When it comes to design the treatment plan, it is important  to consider person’s personal relationships, perceptions of stress, and  social and emotional wellbeing. To provide relief and to train the brain away from perception of tinnitus, treatment  plans may include a combination of the cognitive training, lifestyle  strategies, relaxation, meditation techniques, sleep strategies, sound  therapy, hearing health support, psychological support and more. 

Because  the majority of tinnitus cases are linked with hearing, the first step  is to arrange a consultation and discovery session. During this session,  we provide a space to explore your situation and in relation to these  whole person considerations. We also complete a hearing health  assessment and measurement of your tinnitus distress.  If your tinnitus is linked with hearing loss, we will provide options  for hearing aids that will address both issues. Many hearing aid  manufacturers offer hearing aids with tinnitus therapy program which  uses tones or nature sounds to mask the annoying sounds of tinnitus. 

Things that can help

Alleviate stress –  Stress is a common factor known to aggravate tinnitus. Tinnitus affects  the brain in many ways. Not only does it trigger the auditory centre,  it also affects the emotional control centres of the brain. This can result in the release of stress hormones. The greater the stress levels,  the more significant the perception of tinnitus and the more of a  problem it becomes. Learning to relax is probably one of the most useful  things you can do to help yourself. Regular physical activity helps  with stress reduction, improving sleep and of course promotes general  well-being.

Addressing sleep problems-People  who live with tinnitus might have difficulty falling asleep or staying  asleep. In order to sleep well, our bodies and our minds need to be  relaxed. Avoid watching television or using your mobile phone for social  networking or e-mails. These are stimulating activities and not restful.  A good use of your Smartphone/Tablet is to use it as a  sound generator to provide a constant, relaxing and non-stimulating  background sound. 

Try cutting down on your salt intake and avoid excessive intake of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine – Be aware of foods with high salt levels. Sodium may exacerbate the effects of tinnitus.

Protect your auditory system – Avoid loud environments. If this can’t be avoided, protect your ears by wearing earmuffs or earplugs when you are in a loud environment, such as a concert, while using power tools, etc.

Using sound –  Tinnitus is usually more noticeable in a quiet environment. A lot of  people have found that using background sound helps them. This can be a  radio music or using natural sounds. 

Medication –  If you are taking any medication or supplements, take some time to  understand the side effects as certain medication can exacerbate  tinnitus.

Start a diary –  Be mindful of when your tinnitus improved or became more aggravated and  what you were doing around that time. This would be a very useful tool  to integrate into your treatment plan.

Book a consultation with our audiologist at The Hearing Specialist to discuss practical steps to manage your tinnitus.