Tinnitus is a disorder characterized by ringing or ringing in the ears. Exposure to loud noise, earwax plugs, heart or vascular disease, prescription medication, and thyroid disorders are all factors that can cause tinnitus. To get an accurate diagnosis you need to go to your doctor and work with him to develop a treatment plan. In most cases it is an irreversible disorder, but there are various solutions to reduce its severity; for example, sound generators, hearing aids and medications can help mask the whistling and buzzing present. Research on this issue is constantly evolving, and you may even want to consider trying experimental therapies.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Relieve the Symptoms
Step 1. Mask the hum with tone generators
These devices can muffle background hum with white noise, soothing sounds, or soft music. You can find them of different types: small devices to be inserted in the ears, headphones or even white noise machines; you can also take advantage of household accessories, such as the air conditioner and air purifier, the fan or even the TV turned on at low volume.
- This method does not cure tinnitus, but it can relieve symptoms, improve your focus, and help you fall asleep.
- Sound therapy medical devices can be quite expensive and are not always covered by health care (even if you have private health insurance, the policy does not necessarily reimburse the cost). If you need a more effective solution, find nature sounds, relaxing music, or even streaming services that provide music or sound to suit your purpose.
- Constant, neutral noises, such as white noise (a "shhhhh" sound), are more effective than those that change in intensity, such as sea waves.
Step 2. Manage hearing loss and relieve tinnitus with a hearing aid
If you find that you are losing your hearing, this device can help you mask the background hum by increasing the volume of external noises. Get advice from your family doctor, an ENT or a specialized audiologist, who can help you choose and apply the device.
- If you have not experienced hearing loss, you can still use a hearing aid or a specific implant that stimulates the hearing nerves or can otherwise disguise the hum with white noise.
- A hearing aid is quite expensive, but in the presence of diagnosed disorders it is usually guaranteed by the National Health Service.
Step 3. Discuss antidepressants or anxiolytics with your doctor
Psychiatric drugs can reduce the severity of symptoms, relieve insomnia caused by this disorder, and can help you cope better. they are most effective in severe cases, when symptoms trigger feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.
- However, keep in mind that a negative mood can aggravate tinnitus; a vicious circle can be created in which the presence of one can make the other worse, feeding each other. If so, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants or anxiolytics.
- This class of drugs can cause unwanted side effects, such as blurred vision, dry mouth, nausea, constipation, irritability, and decreased sexual desire. See your doctor if you experience any adverse effects or if you have any new or unusual symptoms, such as depression, suicidal thoughts or aggression.
Step 4. Find a therapist who already knows the problems associated with tinnitus
This specialist is able to help you deal with the disorder and reduce its effects on quality of life; however, such therapy should be accompanied by other forms of treatment, such as drugs or sound therapies.
Do some research online to find therapists - and other professionals - who deal with tinnitus
Step 5. Learn about experimental therapies
No definitive cures for tinnitus have yet been found, but research continues; you should therefore be open to the possibility of experimental therapies. Electronic and magnetic stimulation of the brain and nerves can correct the hyperactive signals responsible for the disorder. These techniques are still in development, so ask your doctor or qualified ENT if they are suitable for your specific situation.
In the near future, new drugs may also be available, so contact your specialist doctor to stay updated on new emerging therapies
Method 2 of 3: Managing Tinnitus with Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Reduce exposure to loud noise
They could trigger and aggravate symptoms. If you work in a noisy environment, use high-powered electric tools, do demanding gardening jobs, vacuum cleaners, or do other noisy tasks, put on earplugs or headphones to protect yourself.
Step 2. Exercise at least half an hour a day
Regular cardiovascular exercise has proved very useful, so you can try walking, running, cycling and swimming; in addition to the overall health benefits, movement also improves blood circulation, which in turn can be a valuable contribution to relieving the forms of tinnitus that are associated with heart and vascular disorders.
- Keeping yourself active also ensures your emotional health.
- If you don't exercise regularly, you should consult your doctor before starting an activity routine, especially if you have any illness.
Step 3. Try meditation and other relaxation techniques
Stress can make tinnitus symptoms worse; therefore, when you start to feel anxious, worried or even overwhelmed, take deep, relaxed breaths; count to 4 as you slowly inhale, hold your breath and count to 4 again as you exhale. Keep checking your breathing for a minute or two or until you start to feel more peaceful.
- As you breathe, try to visualize a soothing image, such as a beach or a childhood memory that helps you calm down.
- Do your best to avoid situations and people that generate emotional tension in you. If you already have a lot of daily commitments, don't take on other responsibilities, otherwise you will really come to feel overwhelmed and overwhelmed by events.
- Participating in yoga or martial arts classes can also promote awareness and relaxation, as well as helping to improve social life, another useful factor in improving general well-being.
Step 4. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine
Try to cut back on alcoholic beverages and limit your consumption of caffeinated drinks, sodas, and chocolate, as these are all substances that affect blood circulation and aggravate your ailment. Nicotine in particular is very harmful, so ask your doctor for some techniques to stop using tobacco products if necessary.
It is undoubtedly helpful to reduce caffeine intake even when tinnitus impairs sleep quality
Method 3 of 3: Treating underlying diseases
Step 1. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis
Tinnitus occurs with ringing and ringing in the ears; however, these are only the symptoms and not the disease itself. You must then make an appointment with your doctor, who will perform a physical exam and test your hearing to find the underlying cause of the disorder.
Major causes of tinnitus include exposure to loud noise, earwax plugs, heart or vascular disease, prescription medications, and thyroid disorders
Step 2. See a specialist if necessary
Although it is possible to see your family doctor for this disorder, it would be more advisable to go to an audiologist, the hearing specialist, or an otolaryngologist, the doctor who specializes in the ears, nose and throat. In both cases they are trained, experienced professionals and therefore represent the most suitable people to define a treatment plan in the long term.
Step 3. Talk to your doctor if you are exposed to loud noises very frequently
Hearing damage caused by loud noises is the main cause of tinnitus; if you work in a factory, in construction, use noisy electrical instruments, go to concerts often, are a musician or are often exposed to explosions, you run an increased risk of suffering from this disorder.
Tell your doctor about your level of noise exposure to help rule out other possible health conditions
Step 4. Get help from your doctor to review your medications
More than 200 have been recognized as being responsible for tinnitus or its worsening; these include antibiotics, cancer drugs and diuretics. If you are taking active ingredients to treat any ailments, ask your doctor if it is possible to reduce the dosage or find alternatives with less side effects.
Step 5. Get your ear canals washed if you have a plug of earwax
The buildup of this substance blocks the channel causing hearing loss, irritation and even tinnitus. If necessary, consult your doctor for appropriate irrigation with the use of medicinal drops or with a special sucking device.
- Do not try to do this cleaning yourself without first consulting your doctor. Alternatively, you can try some home remedies, such as applying baby oil or hydrogen peroxide using a dropper. however, you should only attempt these treatments if approved by your doctor.
- Do not clean your ears with cotton buds, as this may irritate them and push the ear wax even deeper.
Step 6. Address circulatory and blood pressure disorders if needed
Your doctor may prescribe medications for tinnitus associated with high blood pressure or other bloodstream diseases. take them according to the doctor's instructions and ask if you need to follow any diet or make any lifestyle changes.
For example, you may need to reduce your salt intake; in this case you can replace it with dried (or fresh) herbs when preparing meals, avoid salty snacks and do not add more salt to the dish. Your doctor may also advise you to limit your fat intake and exercise more
Step 7. Take medication for thyroid disease if you suffer from it
Tinnitus can be associated with both hyperthyroidism, which is an excessive activity of the thyroid gland, and hypothyroidism, when it works too little. Doctors may look for swelling or lumps in the gland, which is in the throat, and order other screening tests to check its function. If there is any problem, he can prescribe medications to regulate thyroid hormone levels.
