Just
as a ringing bell can sound a warning, ringing in your ears can be a signal to
pay attention to your body. Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or roaring sound that you
hear in one or both ears. It can be constant or occasional loud or soft. Tinnitus is caused by damage
to or the loss of sensory hair cells in the cochlea (or the inner ear). This condition can occur in adults and in children.
About
10 percent of the U.S. adult population has experienced Tinnitus lasting at
least five minutes according to the National Institute on Deafness and Hearing
Disorders. Nearly 50 million Americans report some type of Tinnitus. For about
42 million people, the problem is bothersome and/or chronic. In patients over the age of 60, some hearing
loss is found with. In patients over the age of 60, some hearing loss is found with
Tinnitus.
Physicians and audiologists don’t always know the exact cause of Tinnitus. Excessive noise exposure is a common cause. Do you work in a noisy, high-risk environment in a construction site that uses jackhammers or chainsaws? Do you play a high-contact sport such as hockey or football? Perhaps you listen to loud music constantly? Exposure to loud sounds puts your ears at risk. Other potential causes of Tinnitus include:
·
A head injury or concussion
·
Dental issues like temporomandibular joint
(TMJ) disorder
·
Health conditions like a cardiovascular
disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), thyroid problems, fibromyalgia and
chronic pain, head or neck trauma, auditory, vestibular or facial nerve tumors,
stress and fatigue
·
Meniere's disease, a condition of the
inner ear possibly related to fluids in the inner ear.
·
Some prescription medications such as
antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, diuretics and others can be
ototoxic, meaning they are harmful to the inner ear as well as the nerve fibers
connecting the cochlea to the brain.
·
Wax build-up in your ears
While
there is no cure, there are things you can try to help you cope with Tinnitus.
Here are ten strategies:
·
Avoid
caffeine-Caffeine
can increase your blood pressure making your Tinnitus more noticeable. Caffeine
can include coffee, black and
green tea, cocoa, soft drinks, and energy drinks.
·
Be evaluated
for hearing aids-Hearing aids can boost the volume of
external noises to mask the Tinnitus. You may also benefit from hearing aids if
an audiogram reveals that you have significant hearing loss.
·
Clear your
ears of wax-Doctors can use a microscope and a small tool to remove
ear wax. Do not try to remove it on your own for yourself or your child. Trying
to use a cotton swab to take it out actually tends to push the wax further in
the ear canal and make things worse.
·
Create
"white noise"-Creating a background hum, especially at
night, can cancel out the sound you hear from Tinnitus. For instance, in the
winter, use a cool mist humidifier, and in the summer use a fan or air
conditioner.
·
Explore
acupuncture-Some people have reported relief with acupuncture and
other alternative medical approaches.
·
Play gentle
music-A
quiet melody gives your brain something else to focus other than the ringing.
·
Reconsider
your medications-It's ok to take ibuprofen once in a while,
but taking too much, too often can cause Tinnitus. Maybe there are other ways
to treat your pain.
·
Sign up for
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-At CBT sessions, you will
learn how to change your reaction to Tinnitus through reframing the situation.
CBT can also help the depression and anxiety that is caused by Tinnitus, and
teach you breathing and muscle relaxation techniques.
·
Take
lipoflavonoid-Some people are helped by taking over-the-counter
supplements of lipoflavonoid or vitamin B6 for six to eight weeks.
·
Wear
earplugs-If
you know you will be using or be exposed to noisy equipment such as a lawnmower
use earplugs to prevent further damage.
“Looking after your ears is unfortunately something you don’t think about until there’s a problem. I wish I’d thought about it earlier.” (Chris Martin, Coldplay)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Caffeine” by BetterHealth
·
“Five things everyone
should know about tinnitus” By Starkey
Hearing
·
“Tinnitus: 5 Strange Reasons for Ringing Ears” by Cleveland Clinic
·
“Tinnitus: Why Are My Ears Ringing?” by John P. Cunha
No comments:
Post a Comment