The real problem with chronic tinnitus is not only that you have a ringing in your ears. It’s the continual non-stop ringing, that’s the real problem.
The continuous noise, possibly rather moderate in volume, may begin as little more than an annoyance. But the ringing can become frustrating and even incapacitating if it continues for days or months or more.
That’s why it’s critical that if you are coping with tinnitus you adhere to some tips to make life easier. It can make a huge 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 Made Worse
Chronic tinnitus, after all, is commonly not a static condition. There are spikes and valleys in the presentation of symptoms. There are times when your tinnitus is minimal and practically lost in the background. At other times the sounds will be screaming in your ears so loudly it’s impossible to ignore.
This can be a really uncertain and scary situation. You may be so concerned about your tinnitus flaring up while you’re in a meeting that you have a panic attack while you’re driving to work. And the very panic attack brought on by this worry can itself trigger the tinnitus.
Tips For Living With Tinnitus
You will be in a better position to prepare for and control 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 right treatment.
Consider Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Several treatment options for tinnitus include some form of tinnitus retraining therapy (or TRT). The sound of rain on a roof is a common analogy: very noticeable at the start of a storm, but you stop paying attention to it after a while and that rain-on-rooftops sound goes into the background. TRT uses the same principle to teach your brain to push the tinnitus symptoms into the background of your thoughts so you will have an easier time ignoring them.
Mastering this technique can take some practice.
Get Your Brain Distracted
One reason tinnitus can be so frustrating is because your brain is constantly looking for the source of that sound, trying to signal you to its presence. So supplying your brain with more (and varied) stimuli to focus on can help. Try these:
- Read a book while taking a bubble bath.
- Enjoy some time outside listening to the sounds of nature.
- Play music while painting a picture.
You get the gist: engaging your brain can help you control your tinnitus.
Alternately, many people have discovered that meditation helps because it concentrates your attention on something else, your breathing, a mantra, and so on. Some people have discovered that meditation lowers their blood pressure, which can also be helpful with tinnitus.
Think about a Hearing Aid For Tinnitus Management
Hearing aids that help reduce tinnitus symptoms are already being manufactured by a number of hearing aid companies. This option is really convenient because they are small and out of your way compared to other approaches. You can relax and let a discreet hearing aid take care of the ringing for you.
Make a Plan (And Follow-Through)
The impact of some tinnitus episodes can be minimized, and your stress response can be managed if you have a practical plan for any surges in your symptoms. Plan on having a “go bag” full of things you may need. Anything that can help you be equipped for a tinnitus surge, even making a list of useful exercises will be beneficial because it will keep you from having a panic attack!
The Key is Management
Chronic tinnitus is a condition that has no known cure. But management and treatment of tinnitus is a very real potential. 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