Tinnitus is often described as a high-pitched whine or noise in your head that only you can hear. It can be a frustrating condition to deal with and it can come and go depending on the time of day, your body position or even your mood. While it has no clear cure or cause, it affects millions of people in the world on some level and can be challenging to cope with.
Thankfully, it’s entirely possible to live a normal life even with tinnitus. In this post, we’re going to offer some tips on how you can cope with tinnitus.
Using hearing aids to mask tinnitus
Many people find that hearing loss is often accompanied by tinnitus as they are both affected by the nerves in your ear. This means that those with tinnitus or hearing loss will usually have the other condition. As a result, using hearing aids to mask your tinnitus and cope with hearing loss can be a simple way to cope with it and continue living your life as normal.
Your audiologist will likely suggest a hearing aid that contains masking features if they diagnose you with both hearing loss and tinnitus. Most modern hearing aids come with masking features as a standard, but they may need to be activated with a setting or button on the hearing aid itself. If you don’t have hearing loss and only experience tinnitus, then it may still be possible to get hearing aids for the masking features alone or a sound generating device that can be used while sleeping.
There are many ways to cope with tinnitus, but hearing aids are arguably the most convenient if you have hearing loss. If you don’t experience hearing loss but do have tinnitus, then using hearing aids may not be the most practical solution available.
Using sound machines for tinnitus
As mentioned briefly above, sound machines are an alternative to hearing aids for those with tinnitus but not hearing loss. Sound machines work by generating white noise that counteracts your tinnitus, effectively masking it and allowing your brain to lose focus of the high-pitched whine or buzz that is associated with tinnitus.
Sound machines come in a variety of different styles. The most common style of sound machine is a device that can sit on your bedside table, generating the noise to help you fall asleep at night or to be used when you’re relaxing. You can also get portable sound machines that work similarly to hearing aids. They don’t have a microphone and aren’t capable of functioning like a hearing aid, but they are a portable and often discrete way to mask tinnitus. A more modern solution is to use your mobile device to find apps that can act like sound machines, but these require the use of high-quality earphones.
Considering tinnitus retraining therapy
Tinnitus retraining therapy is a way to teach your brain to ignore the sounds of tinnitus. This can require several appointments with your audiologist in order to see the full effect, but it can be an incredibly effective way to cope with tinnitus. Since it’s a method of retraining your brain to avoid the frequencies and sounds of your tinnitus, it can be considered a permanent solution to deal with the condition. Tinnitus retraining therapy is offered by audiologists. Speak to your audiologist and ask if they offer tinnitus retraining therapy as an option.
Earwax removal
Lastly, it’s possible to use earwax removal as a means of dealing with tinnitus. This isn’t always possible depending on what’s causing your tinnitus but can be an effective way to deal with the condition. Impacted earwax is one of the leading causes of tinnitus and is often the result of using cotton swabs and other methods of cleaning your ears that push the earwax further into your ear canal. Your audiologist will examine your ears and decide if it’s possible to use earwax removal to help with your tinnitus. This is often carried out using a small vacuum inside of your ear to remove large clumps of earwax that could be causing unnecessary pressure in your ears, leading to tinnitus.
Contact a professional audiologist today
If you’re tired of trying to cope with your tinnitus and want a practical and effective solution, consider getting in touch with Gavin Audiology and Hearing Aids at (914) 610-3440 today. You’ll be put through to a friendly staff member who will be able to guide you further and help you book an appointment with a professional audiologist.
FAQs
If tinnitus is especially noticeable in quiet settings, try using a white noise machine to mask the noise from tinnitus. If you don't have a white noise machine, a fan, soft music or low-volume radio static also may help. Limit alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
What is the most successful treatment for tinnitus? ›
Masking the noise: Tinnitus is usually worse in a quiet setting. Hence, soft music or the sound of a fan can help mask the noise due to tinnitus. Manage stress because stress can make tinnitus worse. Reduce your alcohol consumption because alcohol increases blood flow, dilating the blood vessels in the inner ear.
Does anything actually help tinnitus? ›
Currently, there is no known cure for tinnitus. However, experts suggest trying one of the following to find relief: Hearing aids. These may benefit some people with tinnitus who have hearing loss.
How to live a happy life with tinnitus? ›
Avoid overstimulating your nervous system by avoiding stimulates such as alcohol, coffee, tea, soda, and tobacco. Live a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating a healthy diet. Having a healthy mind and body will improve your well-being, and may also help with your tinnitus symptoms.
What helps tinnitus go away naturally? ›
7 tinnitus remedies to try at home
- White noise machines. White noise machines can help mask tinnitus ringing or buzzing sounds, making it easier to focus on other things. ...
- Relaxation techniques. ...
- Sound therapy. ...
- Regular exercise. ...
- Proper sleep. ...
- Limit caffeine and alcohol. ...
- Dietary changes.
“MindEar uses a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and relaxation exercises as well as sound therapy to help you train your brain's reaction so that we can tune out tinnitus. The sound you perceive fades in the background and is much less bothersome,” she says.
Is anyone close to a cure for tinnitus? ›
Tinnitus can be such a difficult condition to live with, but there is hope as many groups work tirelessly on a cure from different angles. This includes genetic findings, wearable devices, and medical treatments like ear medicines and hair cell regrowth.
How long does it take for B12 to help tinnitus? ›
A total of 17 were revealed to be B12 deficient when compared to a normal level of 250 pg/ml. With 42.5% of the patients, this is a significantly high prevalence. After six weeks, the results showed that patients in Group A saw improvements in their mean tinnitus severity index scores.
Has anyone ever got rid of tinnitus? ›
There's no known cure for tinnitus. Current treatments generally involve masking the sound or learning to ignore it. NIH-funded researchers set out to see if they could develop a way to reverse tinnitus by essentially resetting the brain's sound processing system.
What shouldn't you do if you have tinnitus? ›
Very loud noises: Finally, loud noises can exacerbate your tinnitus. Always make sure you're protecting your hearing when you're around excessive noise.
While there's no cure for chronic tinnitus, it often becomes less noticeable and more manageable over time. You can help ease the symptoms by educating yourself about the condition — for example, understanding that it's not dangerous. There are also several ways to help tune out the noise and minimize its impact.
Why does tinnitus suddenly stop? ›
For some people, tinnitus may be temporary. A person may experience tinnitus as a symptom of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL occurs due to long-term exposure to a noisy environment. A person's NIHL symptoms can go away after leaving the noisy environment.
Can you live a full life with tinnitus? ›
While it has no clear cure or cause, it affects millions of people in the world on some level and can be challenging to cope with. Thankfully, it's entirely possible to live a normal life even with tinnitus.
Can tinnitus lead to dementia? ›
While researchers are still trying to fully understand the relationship between tinnitus and dementia, some studies have suggested that people with severe tinnitus may have a higher risk of developing early-stage dementia.
What activities make tinnitus worse? ›
Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease; therefore, there is no cure. However, there are certain things you can do on your own to alleviate the symptoms. There are many causes of tinnitus, and specific activities, like smoking, sleep deprivation, or stress, actually make this hearing condition worse.
What vitamin helps tinnitus go away? ›
However, some older studies indicate that there may be a link between tinnitus and vitamin B12 deficiency. Tinnitus refers to a ringing sound in the ears that has no external source. Some people may wish to try dietary supplements, such as vitamin B12, to help with the condition.
How do you silence tinnitus by doing this once daily? ›
Place your index fingers on top of you middle fingers and snap them (the index fingers) onto the skull making a loud, drumming noise. Repeat 40-50 times. Some people experience immediate relief with this method. Repeat several times a day for as long as necessary to reduce tinnitus.”
Is Vicks good for ringing in the ears? ›
Online bloggers and several websites have recently started to tout the use of Vicks for conditions affecting the ear, such as tinnitus, earaches, and earwax buildup. There's no research indicating that Vicks is effective for any of these uses.
