What is Tinnitus ?
Tinnitus is a conscious awareness of a sound in the ears or head that is not due to an external noise . Many people experience tinnitus as a ringing in their ears but , in fact , it can take a variety of forms .
You may hear a buzzing , whooshing or a humming . The sound can be continuous or it can come and go and you might experience it in one ear or both .
What causes Tinnitus ?
Tinnitus is a symptom , not a disease or an illness and there are many possible causes . It can be caused by a gradual development or it can occur suddenly . The causes are often associated with damage to the inner ear , which can occur naturally with age , or by prolonged exposure to excessively loud noise . It can also occur as a side effect of medication , an ear , head or neck injury - or by emotional distress .
Things that can help ...
Relaxation
When you first experience Tinnitus it is common to feel anxious or scared . When we get stressed , anxious or excited , this can increase our awareness of our tinnitus . By relaxing , you may feel less stressed and therefore notice your tinnitus less . Breathing exercises can also help by making you feel calmer and more able to manage the tinnitus , so you may not notice it as much .
Sound
Tinnitus treatment through sound therapy can help by reducing the contrast between tinnitus and a quiet environment . This can allow you to blend the tinnitus into the background along with other sounds . Additional background sounds can come from a pleasant low level sound such as the radio , television , or a fan ; or listening to nature sounds such as the sound of gentle waves and the rain .
Hearing aids
If you have a hearing loss , wearing hearing instruments can be beneficial for tinnitus as they restore what you can ’ t otherwise hear . When environmental sound is heard better , tinnitus may be less noticeable . With more natural sound , the tinnitus may move to the background . There are many hearing aids with special sound programmes for specific tinnitus relief . There are a variety of sounds available and many can be selected and fine-tuned to accommodate the individual ’ s sound preference .
Did you know ?
Mild Tinnitus is common – about 10 % of the population have it all the time and in up to 1 % of adults , this may affect their quality of life . BTA , 2014 .
Tinnitus is often present alongside a hearing loss . If you have tinnitus , please ask about a hearing test . Your Hearing Healthcare Professional may be able to help further by helping you to understand what your tinnitus is and what you can do to help yourself forget about , or overcome it .