The real issue with chronic tinnitus is not just that you have a ringing in your ears. It’s the continual non-stop ringing, that’s the real issue.
The continuous noise, possibly rather modest in volume, may begin as little more than an annoyance. But after a day or a week or a month, that ringing or buzzing can become aggravating, frustrating, even debilitating.
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 big difference if you have a plan when you’re lying in bed struggling to fall asleep because of the buzzing or ringing in your ear.
Your Tinnitus Can be Made Worse
It’s beneficial to remember that tinnitus is often not static. There are spikes and valleys in the manifestation of symptoms. There are times when your tinnitus is minimal and virtually lost in the background. In other moments, that ringing could be as difficult to dismiss as a full-blown, personalized symphony.
That can leave you in a very scary place of uncertainty. Perhaps you even experience panic attacks while driving to work because you’re worried about your tinnitus flaring up during a meeting. And the very panic attack caused by this worry can itself cause the tinnitus.
Tips For Living With Tinnitus
You will be in a better position to plan for and manage tinnitus the more you know about it. And management is the real key since tinnitus has no known cure. With the right management, there’s no reason that chronic tinnitus needs to negatively affect your quality of life.
Consider Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Many treatment options for tinnitus include some form of tinnitus retraining therapy (or TRT). The sound of rain on a rooftop is a common analogy: it’s very loud and noticeable when it first starts but by the time the storm is ending you stop focusing on it and fades into the background. It’s the same basic concept with TRT, teaching your brain to move that ringing into the background of your attention where it’s easier to disregard.
It can take training to master this method.
Get Your Brain Distracted
Your brain is constantly looking 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) stimulation to concentrate on can be helpful. You could:
- Read a book while soaking in a bubble bath.
- Take a book to the park and listen to the birds while reading.
- Play music while painting a picture.
You get the idea: engaging your brain can help you manage your tinnitus.
Meditation, as an alternate path, helps you concentrate your attention on a mantra, or your breathing which helps take your attention away from your tinnitus. Some individuals have discovered that meditation lowers their blood pressure, which can also help with tinnitus.
Manage Tinnitus With a Hearing Aid
Numerous hearing aid companies have developed hearing aids that help reduce the ringing in your ear. This option 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 deal with the ringing for you.
Have a Plan (And Follow-Through)
The effect of some tinnitus episodes can be lessened, and your stress reaction can be managed if you have a practical plan for any spikes in your symptoms. Pack a bag of useful items to bring with you. Anything that will help you be more ready and keep you from having a panic attack, like making a list of helpful exercises, will go a long way toward management.
Management is Key
There is no cure for tinnitus which is usually chronic. But control and treatment of tinnitus is a very real potential. Make sure you are managing your tinnitus not suffering from it by using 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
