Do I Have Tinnitus and What Can I Do About It?

By Steff Green

• Do you hear a strange ringing or roaring sound when everyone else hears silence?
• Are you regularly exposed to loud noise with no ear protection?
• Do you hear strange noises in one or both your ears?
• Are you worried that you’re going mad?

Well, the good news is – you’re not going mad. The bad news is that you (like around 25% of the population) probably have tinnitus – a range of phantom sounds that your brain registers as real sounds.

You will notice the tinnitus sounds when there’s no other noise around you. Tinnitus might sound like ringing, buzzing, roaring, shrieking, bells, banging, hissing, or ocean waves crashing. Some people hear one noise only, while others hear a combination of two or three.

Tinnitus varies between people. Some people will get it occasionally – for example, for a couple of days after being exposed to a loud noise – while others might experience it all the time. For some people the sounds will be louder and more aggravating. People who suffer from severe tinnitus will often struggle to get to sleep at night, leaving them tired and stressed during the day.

Tinnitus isn’t a disease itself, but a symptom that can be caused by many different factors. Usually, tinnitus is caused by ear infections, wax build-up or foreign objects in the ear, as part of hearing impairment or the aging process, or exposure to loud noise (factory workers or musicians who don’t wear earplug on stage often develop tinnitus). Allergies, stress, some prescription medicine, and foods like cheese, alcohol and sugary snacks can also cause or aggravate tinnitus.

What Can I Do About Tinnitus?

Unfortunately, not much. Since tinnitus isn’t a disease, there’s no medicine to treat it. If your Tinnitus is caused by a medical condition – such as a damaged inner ear – fixing this condition may remove the tinnitus.

Likewise, people who suffer from tinnitus as a symptom of hearing loss often find the tinnitus goes away when they use a hearing aid.

Many people manage their tinnitus by avoiding anything that aggravates it. They will avoid certain foods, keep allergies and stress under control, take care not to expose their ears to loud noises (by wearing earplugs at concerts, for example) and use soothing sounds to provide background noise.

The Nature Sound Pyramid is a great product for anyone suffering from tinnitus. The pyramid plays a selection of quiet, natural sounds – a babbling brook, waves lapping on the ocean, birds calling, and a summer’s evening – as well as a relaxing coloured light show. Having this gentle noise in the background relieves tinnitus for many people, and the Nature Sound Pyramid can also work wonders for anyone suffering from insomnia.

I’ve personally experienced tinnitus while being in a music studio without earplugs on – and I know how unpleasant it can be. Luckily, if you do suffer from tinnitus, there are certain things you can do to manage the discomfort. Readers – what do you do to manage your tinnitus?

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