Taming Tinnitus
Your ears are constantly ringing. It sounds like a camera is recharging or a soft hiss. You can’t seem to ignore it. You may have tinnitus.
Tinnitus is the name for very common intermittent to persistent head noises that range in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal or whine. It can happen in one ear or both ears.
Tinnitus affects about 32 percent of the U.S. population. There are many causes for tinnitus, such as ear infections, fluid, allergies, circulation and blood pressure problems, medication use, noise exposure, aging and others. Some other causes include Meniere’s disease, eustachian tube dysfunction, ear bone changes, muscle spasms in the inner ear, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), acoustic neuroma or other head and neck tumors, blood vessel disorders, and other chronic conditions. Sometimes the cause cannot be found.
Tinnitus sounds may vary. It can be described as buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing, or humming. The sound can be present all the time or may come and go. It can interfere with your ability to concentrate or hear external sound.
Tinnitus can occur at any age and affects men and women equally. In some cases, tinnitus can be reversed. More than 200 different medications, including aspirin, have tinnitus as a side-effect; once you stop taking the meds, the tinnitus goes away.
Tinnitus is usually associated with some hearing loss, but having tinnitus doesn’t mean the person will go deaf; hearing loss doesn’t cause tinnitus and tinnitus doesn’t cause hearing loss. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine can exacerbate tinnitus. Some patients with tinnitus say it gets worse when they are under stress.
Certain factors may raise your risk of getting tinnitus such as loud noise exposure, age, sex, tobacco and alcohol use, and certain health issues (obesity, cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure and a history of arthritis and head injuries).
There are further precautions you can take to prevent tinnitus like using hearing protection, turning down the volume, taking care of your cardiovascular health, and limiting your caffeine, alcohol and nicotine intake.
Your doctor may diagnose tinnitus based on your symptoms but other things will play a role as well. Some other tests that might be administered are a hearing (audiological) exam, movement (you will be asked to move your eyes or clenching your jaw for example), imaging tests, and lab tests.
You should describe the tinnitus sounds as best as possible to assess treatment. Clicking might suggest that muscle contractions in and around your ear might be the cause of your tinnitus. Pulsing, rushing, or humming usually stem from blood vessel causes (vascular) such as high blood pressure, and its noticeable when you change positions like standing up or laying down. Low pitched ringing signals ear canal blockages, Meniere’s disease, or stiff inner ear bones. High pitched ringing suggest loud noise exposure, hearing loss, and medications. Acoustic neuroma can cause continuous high-pitched sounds in one ear.
Treatment for tinnitus depends on whether the condition is caused by an underlying condition. If so, your doctor may be able to reduce symptoms once the underlying condition is taken care of. For instance, removing ear wax build-up can decrease the symptoms. Underlying blood vessel conditions may require medication, surgery, or other therapy to address the problem. If your tinnitus is caused by noise-reducing or age-related hearing loss, then a hearing aid may be helpful. If your tinnitus is caused by medication, your doctor may recommend that you switch medications or discontinue usage of that particular medication.
Often times, tinnitus can’t be cured. But there are treatments to make it less noticeable. Your doctor may recommend an electronic device to suppress the noise from tinnitus. Devices include white noise machines (e.g. fans, humidifiers, air conditioners) and masking devices (which provide continuous low level white noise).
Therapy might be an option, to make sure the tinnitus is less noticeable. The two types of therapy recommended are tinnitus retraining therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Tinnitus retraining therapy combines sound masking and counseling from a trained professional. You basically wear a device in your ear to mask your tinnitus symptoms while receiving directive counseling.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is where a licensed mental health professional or psychologist provides you with coping techniques on how to manage tinnitus symptoms and make them bearable. Counseling may also help with problems associated with tinnitus like depression and anxiety.
Medication can relieve the severity of this condition and can be used to treat an underlying condition linked to tinnitus. For instance, your doctor may prescribe something to treat anxiety or depression.
Some remedies that may help in managing tinnitus are to always wear over-the-ear hearing protection to protect your ears in situations where there is exposure to loud noises and turn down the volume because high volume can contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus. Use white noise to mask tinnitus symptoms (and if you don’t have a white noise machine, use a fan, low radio static, or soft music). Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine because these substances can influence blood flow and may affect tinnitus symptoms.
Some other ways to manage tinnitus include finding a support group, getting educated about tinnitus, and engaging in stress management techniques like biofeedback or exercise. Tinnitus is scary but manageable.
