How to Manage Tinnitus: Coping Strategies and Lifestyle Changes

The desire to alleviate the symptom of an underlying condition is understandable for individuals’ experiencing tinnitus. Tinnitus often emerges as a byproduct of various health conditions or auditory concerns, which can be addressed and monitored with time. Tinnitus can be a buzzing, ringing or whooshing sound that you hear. There are instances when tinnitus might appear intermittently, while for others, it becomes a chronic occurrence that, over time, they can learn to adapt to and effectively manage with the help of an audiologist.

When tinnitus begins, it’s understandable to feel distressed. This experience can be distracting and tiresome after a little while. However, it’s important to never forget that with some appropriate lifestyle changes, coping strategies and help from a qualified audiologist, your tinnitus symptoms can be managed.

Consult Your Audiologist

Audiologists are skilled in unraveling the complexities of tinnitus, offering personalized guidance and solutions to help you effectively manage and alleviate its impact. From pinpointing underlying causes to crafting tailored treatment plans, audiologists bring a wealth of expertise to the table. Their specialized knowledge can lead you toward sound therapy options, counseling, or hearing aids designed to provide relief. Talk with your audiologist about the best treatment option for you for managing your tinnitus.

Work on Your Healthy Habits

Tinnitus can at times worsen due to unhealthy habits, including inadequate sleep, sedentary routines, poor dietary choices and excessive alcohol consumption. By adopting beneficial changes in your lifestyle such as engaging in regular exercise, practicing meditation, prioritizing sufficient sleep, consuming nourishing foods within your maintenance caloric intake and steering clear of smoking and excessive drinking, you may observe a decrease in the severity and frequency of your tinnitus symptoms.

Identify the Triggers You’re Working with and Seek to Avoid or Prevent Them

Avoiding tinnitus triggers is an approach to maintaining auditory well-being. By identifying and steering clear of situations that exacerbate tinnitus, individuals can significantly minimize its impact on daily life. For instance, reducing exposure to loud noises, such as concerts or construction sites, can prevent overstimulation of the auditory system. When being in a noisy environment make sure that you are wearing hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs. Practicing good ear hygiene, like protecting your ears from water and excessive earwax, can also contribute to prevention. Additionally, managing stress through techniques like relaxation exercises or mindfulness can help mitigate tinnitus symptoms.

Tinnitus can present itself differently from person to person, it can be short-term or long-term. For some people, it may be that they notice tinnitus becomes more present when drinking large volumes of caffeine, when sedentary for long periods each week or when experiencing high stress in pressured environments. If you take any medication and notice that it is affecting your hearing health talk with your doctor about switching your medication.

Background Noise Can Be Your Friend

While it may not serve as a measure to completely resolve your tinnitus, you’d be surprised how well sound therapy and background noise can help you stay distracted from the main symptoms. Simply having background noise on can drown out your tinnitus and prevent you from noticing it so much.

That might include sleeping with a white noise machine or fan on at night, listening to music while working on your computer or using specialized sound therapy devices. These methods can provide you with temporary relief from your symptoms. Just make sure that you don’t cause further loss by listening to music too loud – this can damage your hearing, potentially cause hearing loss and exacerbate your symptoms.

Learn About Tinnitus

It’s natural to feel concerned when faced with a new experience when it comes to your hearing. That’s why it’s good to learn about tinnitus as much as you can if you experience it. Your audiologist will walk you through everything you need to know when it comes to your hearing. They will talk to you about tinnitus and how to manage these symptoms you are experiencing. Your audiologist will help you find a treatment that works for you and is specific for your needs.

Contact Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions today!

At Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions, our friendly team of experts is more than familiar with tinnitus and how it can express itself in our clients’ lives. That’s why we’re happy to perform a full evaluation and work with you to find the best treatment pathway. Contact us at (973) 721-6520 or (201) 375-9081 today!