There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for managing tinnitus because each case is unique. However, your daily habits and environmental interactions may be worsening your symptoms.
Here are some common triggers and how you can create a strategy to cope with flare-ups.
Alcohol and Nicotine
You may want to reconsider your next drink or cigarette if you have tinnitus. These two habits reduce vital blood flow to the inner ear that results in permanent damage and hearing loss. Extensive alcohol consumption also raises your blood pressure which aggravates tinnitus over time.
Solution: Reduce or eliminate your nicotine and alcohol consumption to avoid exacerbating tinnitus symptoms.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure lowers blood supply to the inner ear and damages the hair cells that convert sound to nerve signals in your brain. The damage is usually irreversible and can worsen your tinnitus symptoms and lead to further hearing loss.
Solution: Regulate high blood pressure with medication or visit a mental health specialist to discuss stress management. Some therapists specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy, an aural rehab that focuses on reshaping a person’s reaction to their tinnitus symptoms.
Loud Noise
Exposure to loud noise puts your ears at risk of permanent hearing loss. Tinnitus is often a precursor to permanent hearing loss, so heed the warnings your ears are giving you and avoid noisy environments as often as possible.
Solution: Invest in headsets or earplugs to protect your ears from loud activities like concerts or cutting the grass.
Diet
Tinnitus can be triggered by overindulging in things like sugar or sodium. Iron deficiency has also been linked to tinnitus since the condition causes your blood to pump harder creating a rushing sound in your ears.
Solution: Keep track of what you eat and note the days your tinnitus flares up. Pinpointing the foods that affect your condition will help you identify what to avoid in the future.
Sleep
If you’re frequently burning the midnight oil your ears won’t thank you for it. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) has been linked to lack of sleep and tinnitus is one of the symptoms. Your temporomandibular joint reaches from your temples to your lower jaw, and lack of sleep can increase your risk of developing TMD. Tinnitus flare-ups may be a sign your body needs more sleep.
Solutions: Limit caffeine and alcohol intake and turn off devices that emit blue light, which affects your body’s production of melatonin. If you find yourself unable to sleep because of tinnitus invest in a white noise machine. Background noise will help break up the quiet environments that amplify the ringing in your ears.
Too Much Wax
Your body will overproduce ear wax if you frequently use cotton swabs to clean your ears. Your ears naturally expel wax on their own but using cotton swabs pushes it back into your ear canal. As your ears produce more wax, the buildup creates a blockage that causes ringing in your ears.
Solution: Visit an audiologist to have wax buildup professionally, and safely, removed.
To learn more about how Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions can help you treat tinnitus call 888.573.6412 or contact us online.
