What to Do About Tinnitus: A Comprehensive Guide to Managing the Ringing

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Tinnitus, the hearing of a sound when no external sound is being made, is most commonly characterized by a ringing, whooshing buzzing or hissing in the ear. The first and most important step to take, when you have long-term tinnitus is to realize that it is not an illness in itself but a symptom of an underlying problem. Although, a full cure is yet to be invented for most of them, you can still find plenty of coping techniques and treatments that will reduce its perceived severity towards diminishing sensitivity.

1. See a Doctor

The first step for anyone suffering from a concern about tinnitus, at least in the ideal, is to see a doctor: your family doctor if something less than an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist is available. And this is significant, because you always want to find a treatable, reversible cause. For instance, tinnitus can be the result of certain medications or a symptom of a build up of wax in your ear or an issue such as Meniere’s disease. An investigative element often included in this is an audiologic examination (vs. a hearing test) conducted by the same professional who can treat tinnitus and other hearing problems. Due to the absence of incoming sound information (due to either damaged hair cells within the inner ear or loss of spontaneous sound), the brain can generate its own noise, referred to as “phantom sound”. And sometimes treating the underlying cause — such as removing an earwax blockage or changing a medication — can bring tinnitus to an end.

2. Management and Habituation

When a direct cure is not an option, the emphasis quickly changes to management and habituation — the process by which your brain learns to filter out the noise of the tinnitus, so that it fades back into background awareness in much the same way as you stop being aware of a constant feeling while wearing clothes. Sound therapy is the most potent resource to get it done. The concept behind sound therapy is not to cover up the tinnitus but make it less noticeable and bothersome. It is usually noticed in quieter surroundings that allow the internal noise to become more apparent. Increasing your sound environment in this way can help reduce the contrast between silence and tinnitus. Other simple strategies are turning on a white noise machine, fan or soft ambient music. Specialized hearing aids can also be extremely beneficial, even with just a bit of hearing loss. Such devices can make external sounds louder so internal tinnitus becomes less prominent and many are now equipped with built-in sound generators for a dual approach.

3. Cope with the Cognitive and Emotional Response

Aside from sound, no addressing how one copes with the cognitive and emotional response to tinnitus is as vital. It often creates a feedback loop: The more you notice the ear ringing, the more performance anxiety you have — and that can ratchet up your perception of the tinnitus. Interfering with this cycle is of clinical importance in arthritis. The most common psychological treatment next to medication is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT does not mean making the sound go away but changing your negative thought patterns and emotional response to it. A therapist can also teach you coping skills, re-framing techniques and relaxation practices that take some of the sting out of tinnitus. And then there are simple lifestyle changes that can work wonders. Stress can be a huge tinnitus trigger and amplifier, so stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation, or stress relief via yoga or deep breathing can change your whole life. Regular exercise improves the circulation and in general better sleep, which is certainly also commonly disrupted by tinnitus.

So in the end, as endless and fixed-pitched as that tinnitus buzzing may be, it's not everything; you are not helpless. The answer is multi-faceted, preemptive measures, if we hope to accomplish any slowing of the pandemic. Tinnitus can be well managed with a little patience and the right system.

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