The real problem with chronic tinnitus is not simply that you have a ringing in your ears. The real problem is that the ringing won’t stop.
The continuous noise, perhaps somewhat moderate in volume, may start as little more than a nuisance. But the ringing can become frustrating and even debilitating if it continues for days or months or more.
That’s why it’s essential to have some tips to fall back on, tips that make living with tinnitus 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 buzzing or ringing in your ear.
How You Can Exacerbate Your Tinnitus
It’s important to keep in mind that tinnitus is commonly not static. There are spikes and valleys in the manifestation of symptoms. At times, your tinnitus might be an afterthought, hidden in the background of daily life. At other times the sounds will be screaming in your ears so loudly it’s impossible to disregard.
That can leave you in a very scary place of anxiety. Perhaps you even experience panic attacks while driving to work because you’re concerned about your tinnitus flaring up while you’re in a meeting. And the very panic attack brought on by this worry can itself cause the tinnitus.
Tips For Coping With Tinnitus
The more you know about tinnitus, the better you can plan for and manage the effects. And management is crucial since tinnitus has no known cure. There’s no reason that your quality of life has to suffer if you put in place the right treatment.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy is One Option
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a standard strategy for tinnitus management. The sound of rain on a rooftop is a common analogy: very apparent at the start of a storm, but you stop focusing on it after a while and that rain-on-rooftops sound goes into the background. It’s the same basic concept with TRT, teaching your brain to move that ringing into the background of your thoughts where it’s easier to ignore.
It can take training to get this technique down.
Get Your Brain Distracted
Your brain is constantly searching for the source of the sound and that’s one of the reasons why tinnitus can be so aggravating. So supplying your brain with more (and varied) stimuli to focus on can help. You could:
- Enjoy a book while taking a bubble bath.
- Take a book to the park and listen to the birds while reading.
- Play music while you paint a picture.
You get the gist: Your tinnitus might be able to be reduced by engaging your brain.
Alternately, many people have discovered that meditation helps because it focuses your attention on something else, your breath, a mantra, and so on. Another advantage of meditation, at least for some, is that it can lower blood pressure which is a common cause of tinnitus symptoms.
Manage Tinnitus With a Hearing Aid
Many hearing aid companies have developed hearing aids that help minimize the ringing in your ear. This solution is very 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 effect of some tinnitus episodes can be minimized, and your stress reaction can be managed if you have a practical plan for any spikes in your symptoms. Pack a bag of practical items to bring with you. Anything that will help you be more prepared and keep you from panicking, like making a list of helpful exercises, will go a long way toward management.
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. Make sure you are managing your tinnitus not suffering from it by utilizing these tips and any others that you find helpful.
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