BY SEAN LANG, RESEARCH COORDINATOR & KEVIN PENG, MD, NEUROTOLOGIST
There are two types of tinnitus: Objective and Subjective. Objective tinnitus is when a physician can hear the sound using a special tube inserted into the patient’s and the examiner’s ears. Subjective tinnitus, which is far more common, can only be heard by the patient. This type of tinnitus is generated in the brain, not the ear. The center of tinnitus is adjacent to the limbic system. This is the center of our emotions. Therefore, anything that adversely affects us, such as anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue, will aggravate the tinnitus.
Tinnitus can have many root causes, including noise exposure, hearing loss, circulatory system issues, and head or neck injuries. Eighty percent of individuals with hearing loss have tinnitus. Other causes, including wax impaction, a hole in the eardrum, or problems with the middle ear bone, can be corrected to alleviate tinnitus. Although it may not be curable, it is treatable. If tinnitus is of recent onset, or if it disrupts one’s daily life, getting your hearing tested and consulting with a physician is important. In the meantime, here are some strategies to consider as you manage your tinnitus.
Consider Hearing Aids:
For individuals experiencing tinnitus, especially when accompanied by hearing loss, exploring the use of hearing aids can be a beneficial strategy. Hearing aids amplify the sounds you may be missing, allowing you to cover and reduce the prominence of tinnitus. If you are considering hearing aids as a treatment option for tinnitus and hearing loss, consulting with a qualified audiologist is essential. For those in the Los Angeles area, the House Hearing Health Centers offer comprehensive audiological services. They provide state-of-the-art care, including advanced audiometric evaluations and personalized treatment options, to ensure patients receive the best possible outcomes. Visit HouseHearing.com to learn more.
Protect your ears:
Loud noise can induce short-term tinnitus in people who do not normally experience it, and may worsen tinnitus in those who have it chronically. Using ear plugs in loud places, such as amplified music settings and sporting events or while working with power tools and shooting guns, will protect your ears from noise-induced hearing loss and worsening tinnitus. It is key to avoid listening to music at a high volume for long periods of time. You have the power to prevent hearing loss and tinnitus with proper ear protection.
Supplements:
There are no medications that are proven to consistently treat tinnitus, but certain supplements—bioflavonoids, ginkgo biloba, magnesium, melatonin, various vitamins, and others—may help alleviate tinnitus for some individuals. You should consult your doctor before starting supplements or medications.
Massage techniques:
Gently massaging the neck, ears, and chewing muscles may help reduce the intensity of tinnitus. A similar technique includes tapping the back of your skull with your fingers. Although research results for these therapies have been mixed, many people with tinnitus report benefit from massage.
Sleep hygiene:
Fatigue, like stress, can exacerbate tinnitus. Getting enough sleep, maintaining consistent sleep and wake times, and avoiding food, alcohol, and exercise in the hours before sleep can help reduce fatigue and, in turn, tinnitus.
Relaxation techniques:
Increased stress levels have been linked to worsening tinnitus. Anything that puts you in a more relaxed mental state, such as meditation, exercise, yoga, deep breathing, and biofeedback, may help.
Diet management:
Triggers may vary from person to person. For some people, removing alcohol and/or caffeine or reducing salt consumption may help with tinnitus. Smoking cigarettes can increase the risk of developing tinnitus and, in those who have tinnitus, make it worse.
Sound therapy:
Pleasant, calming, repetitive sounds can help ease the burden of tinnitus. Nature recordings, air purifiers/fans, brown noise, and other ambient sounds help distract the brain from tinnitus.
Keep busy.
When I was working as a teacher, my workload and teaching my students were my focus. It distracted me from my tinnitus. Now that I’m retired, I’m focusing on learning Spanish on Duolingo.
Go for a walk and get out into the fresh air.
Walking helps me focus on nature, and it brings me calm and peace. It is good overall for my health and well-being.
Meditation/prayer.
This helps me focus on all the blessings that I have, and makes me grateful for being alive!
Stay away from noisy places.
I find that this aggravates my tinnitus!
Connecting with friends.
Getting together with one or two friends over lunch distracts me from my tinnitus and boosts my mood.
– MARIA
“The only way that I can manage it is with white noise at night. I hear it constantly, 24/7. I recently went through cancer treatment for 5 months. The chemotherapy made it worse because they used cisplatin as the infusion, which is notorious for affecting the ears. So now the tinnitus is worse. I am hoping with time it will calm down. The tinnitus started slowly. . . around 2009. But now it is bothersome. So white noise at night, when it is louder, is the only way I can cope with it. I visited House Ear Clinic many times for vestibular migraines when I was living in Los Angeles. . . Thank you, House Ear Clinic!”
– PEGGY
“White noise from my air purifier helps with tinnitus by masking the ringing or buzzing sounds in your ears, making them less noticeable. Tinnitus often becomes more noticeable in quiet environments, especially at night when there’s little background noise. A steady sound like white noise can help your brain focus on something else, reducing the perception of tinnitus and making it easier to relax and fall asleep.”
– LAREINE
‘I have tried Biofeedback with little success. . . The single-sided Cochlear implant has helped somewhat to mitigate the sound, but not totally eliminate the sounds.”
– LEWIS