Top Facts and Findings You Need to Know About Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a common disorder that affects around 50 million people in the US alone. Commonly perceived as a ringing in the ears, there are other aspects to the condition. Additionally, there are numerous causes, either medical or from your lifestyle.

Most cases of tinnitus come down to lifestyle. Varying degrees can be debilitating to your everyday life and can be severe. However, the effects can be reduced and managed with adjustments, expert help and guidance from a hearing instrument specialist (HIS).

The Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is caused by several things. The cause can be genetic, the result of an injury or poor circulation. However, in many cases, there is an underlying cause, and it mostly comes down to habits and lifestyle. For instance, your hobbies can cause tinnitus, or your working environment could contribute.

Working or regularly exposing your ears to an environment louder than 70 decibels (dBs) is likely to cause hearing problems and tinnitus over an extended period. The symptoms often include a ringing in the ears. However, you can also perceive it as a hiss, whoosh or buzz.

Is There a Cure for Tinnitus?

The short answer is no. There is no known cure for tinnitus. Which is a game because it can be severely disrupting for some people. Dutch impressionist Van Gogh famously was thought to cut off his own ear as a symptom of Meniere’s disease. However, modern medicine has treatments for reducing the severity of tinnitus for most people.

But not all. If you experience severe tinnitus, there might be nothing that can be done. Some treatments for tinnitus include electronic device stimulation, behavioral therapy, noise-canceling headphones and lifestyle changes.

How It Affects You

You experience tinnitus as one or more sounds in one or both ears. The symptoms begin with the loss of frequencies, which you perceive as a high-pitched tone. From there, your symptoms can get worse. Tinnitus affects your hearing by overlapping sounds in your ears. Often you aren’t aware of the tinnitus sound until it suddenly stops and things get quiet again.

This can cause severe disruption when trying to sleep, leading to a lower quality of life. And in some cases, tinnitus can cause anxiety and depression. However, it may be a case of lifestyle.

Hobbies that May Cause Tinnitus

It could be the case that your tinnitus is caused by your lifestyle. This is common, and the effects are more noticeable after certain activities. Most notably, activities that expose you to louder sounds than usual. These hobbies include but aren’t limited to the following:

• Target shooting with firearms, with or without ear protection.
• Attending loud music festivals.
• Playing video games using headphones with loud volumes.
• Going to crowded events such as football games.
• Playing a musical instrument alone or in a band.

No one should have to give up something they love. However, your hobby could be causing you severe harm. In that case, it might be best to address the problem head-on before it gets worse. Perhaps take a break or make adjustments to reduce your exposure to loud sounds.

How to Reduce the Effects

Tinnitus can be hardly noticeable or debilitating depending on the severity of your condition. Your lifestyle doesn’t always cause tinnitus, and you might experience it due to mental health reasons. Either way, there is no cure. However, you can reduce the effects of tinnitus by reducing your exposure to loud sounds.

For instance, use auto volume protection on music devices and headphones. And try to stay away from crowds for a while. If your job is loud, try using in-ear earplugs to dampen sound waves. Caffeine and alcohol can also make it worse.

Sound Choice Hearing Can Help

Tinnitus can be debilitating and annoying. The condition can be caused by your lifestyle or by underlying medical issues. Lifestyle adjustments can help some of the time, but you might need professional help as it worsens. At Sound Choice Hearing, we specialize in ear care. If you are experiencing tinnitus of any degree, you can act now to get the help you need. Our team of dedicated professionals is always here to help. Please give us a call at (505) 565-7960 to learn more about our services.