Tinnitus – 7 Helpful Tips
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears affects approximately 18% of all Australian’s and studies show that 98% of people will experience tinnitus in a room that is quiet enough.
The 2020 World Health Crisis is placing extreme levels of stress and uncertainty on us. Over this period of time we have noticed many of our patients tinnitus symptoms have been exacerbated.
So what can be done to help you Tinnitus?
The research tells us that tinnitus is exacerbated by stress and worsen’s with sleep deprivation. We are most certainly living through a time that is both stressful and a potential cause for a lack of sleep.
Here are 7 things you can do to help manage your tinnitus over this period.
1. White Noise Machines
Using products like white noise machines, a low fan or music can help to avoid quiet rooms, such as your bed room at night. We know that tinnitus is most prevalent when we are in quiet. Using low level sound to help cancel out the sound of tinnitus at night can help you get to sleep.
2. Speaking of Sleep
Scientists across the world have documented that a lack of sleep worsen’s tinnitus. Limit your screen time after a certain time at night. Restrict your caffeine intake after a certain time of day. Do some relaxation or deep breathing techniques, right before you go to bed to help to switch off the mind.
3. Deep breathing exercises and stress management tools
The exact link between tinnitus and stress isn’t know but they are undoubtably related. Try the Simply Being app, a guided meditation app, that’s isn’t too ‘left of centre’. Head Space is another great app and website that focuses on meditation, stress and anxiety management and sleep. The Waking Up app and website developed by Neuroscientist Sam Harris focused on mindfulness. I used this daily. Yoga is also a brilliant way focus on deep breathing and stress management, if you aren’t the type of person who wants to mediate. Check out the Down Dog app or Stretch Yoga’s online studio.
4. Get Your Hearing Tested
When the brain is not getting enough sensory input it steps in and generates it’s own. This is why treating hearing loss and giving the brain back that input can help with tinnitus. It is both astounding and satisfying to see how quickly tinnitus symptoms can be relieved for some people, when they treat their hearing loss. Feel free give us a call or book in online if you would like a complementary consultation over this period.
5. Prevention
Amongst other impacts to your health, smoking is a known cause of tinnitus. High blood pressure or atherosclerosis also increase tinnitus risk. We are living through an unpredictable and tumultuous time. However, it is also a time where we have an opportunity to reset. Is it time to make some lifestyle changes towards living a healthier life, which can inadvertently help our tinnitus?
6. Shift Your Focus
Tinnitus is one of those conditions that the more we focus on it the worse it usually is. Trying to draw your attention away from it onto something else, can help to decrease it’s impact on your quality of life. Set up strategies for those times when you know it is usually quite bad for example at night. The most understanding you get around how the condition works the easier it is to manage it symptoms.
7. Brain HQ
Is a fun online program that has shown to improve tinnitus perception, memory, attention, and concentration of patients with tinnitus. Check out the link www.brainhq.com to learn more.
Finally Thoughts:
In terms of tinnitus the key is to understand the mechanism behind the condition. Unfortunately there is no cure. However that isn’t to say that we cannot manage its symptoms and live a full life, with the condition.
We want tinnitus to eventually be something that is there is the background but we only notice it, if we focus on it.
The key is to manage stress. Get enough sleep. Have strategies in place, like a white noise machine or music close by for those times when your tinnitus symptoms are exacerbated. Understand that it is very common and not something to spend a lot of time worrying about or focussing on – as this will only exacerbate it for you.
If you haven’t your hearing tested, tinnitus is a very common sign of hearing loss, for the reasons we spoke of above.
Right now is an opportunity to shift all aspects of our lifestyle towards leading a healthier life. As much as this is a stressful and uncertain time, there is opportunity to put strategies in place now that will help us in the long-term. This is particular true in the case of managing a condition like Tinnitus.
If you would like additional help
I offer a Tinnitus Evaluation. I test your hearing and provide additional strategies to help you manage your symptoms. Audiology is considered an essential service. This means I am still able to see you in clinic over this period.
Alternatively I am able to do phone consults, if you are unable to come into the clinic.
For more information give the clinic a call on 1300 418 852