Tinnitus Management Strategies

Helping you find relief and achieve habituation

Tinnitus can be successfully managed with various strategies. The aim is to achieve “habituation” — when tinnitus may still be heard but does not cause distress or affect your lifestyle.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus describes any sound that is heard, but not caused by an external sound source. Tinnitus can be heard in many different ways. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, crickets or rushing. It can develop gradually over time or suddenly. Tinnitus is very common. Most people experience it at some time during their lives.

Tinnitus is not a disease. It is usually a symptom of a problem somewhere within the auditory (hearing) system.

If not well managed, tinnitus can become very invasive in one’s life. It can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression, stress, feelings of helplessness, fatigue, frustration and irritability.

If you have noticed tinnitus, you should make an appointment for a hearing test. This will help identify if there is a treatable cause, rule out any sinister cause of your tinnitus and provide peace of mind.

At Helix Hearing we take a detailed history, assess your hearing and provide detailed feedback as to the possible cause of your tinnitus. From this information we are able to recommend specific management strategies to relieve your tinnitus awareness.

Sometimes it is recommended, depending on results, that you are referred to an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist for further investigation.

What causes tinnitus?

Possible Causes

Hearing loss
Noise damage
Some medication
Middle and inner ear conditions
Injury to the ear or head
Viral infections
Reduced blood flow to the ear
Spinal or neck injuries
Neck pain or arthritis
Temporomandibular (jaw) joint (TMJ) disorder
High blood pressure
Elevated stress levels

Things That Aggravate Tinnitus

Exposure to excessive noise
Stress and fatigue
Some medications
Alcohol
Smoking
Caffeine
Change in lifestyle
Poor sleep habits

Management strategies

Not all strategies need to be implemented — all should at least be considered.

The aim of management is to achieve “habituation” — when tinnitus may still be heard but does not cause distress or affect lifestyle. Most people can achieve this given time.

Hearing aids

If a hearing loss is present, appropriate use of hearing aids will often greatly reduce tinnitus awareness. Hearing aids amplify external sounds which are otherwise unheard given the hearing loss.This helps mask and divert attention from the tinnitus. The use of hearing aids can also reduce the effort of concentration and straining to hear. This will help relieve the tiredness, anxiety and stress associated with communication difficulties.

Stress management

Stress can significantly increase awareness of one’s tinnitus. Reducing sources of stress and using relaxation techniques can prove beneficial.

Sleep management

It is important to get adequate sleep as tiredness and fatigue can aggravate tinnitus and stress. However, do not go to bed before you are tired. If you are still awake after half an hour of trying to get to sleep, get up and do something else. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern is also important.

Diet

A well balanced and salt-reduced diet can help reduce awareness of tinnitus. Low salt foods, sauces and additives should be considered in your cooking (low salt is considered to be less than 120mg/100g).

Medication

Ask your doctor whether any medications you are taking are known to exacerbate or cause tinnitus. If they are, is there an alternative available?

Distraction

Focusing on tinnitus can make it seem louder and therefore more intrusive. By focusing the brain on other thoughts and activities, the tinnitus can seem less noticeable.

Sound enrichment

Many perceive their tinnitus to be louder and more invasive when their environment is quiet, for example, in bed. Introducing noise, such as music (preferably without lyrics) to the environment, can distract your mind from your tinnitus. It can also help to “drown out” your tinnitus. There are many free smartphone Apps which do just this. We recommend Starkey Relax, Resound Relief & Widex Zen.

Stimulants

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are all known to exacerbate tinnitus. However, individual sensitivity varies greatly. Try reducing caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening.

Exercise

Regular exercise can help us relax and increases endorphins, hormones which make us happy. It can also help to reduce fatigue and improve sleeping.