For people who don’t suffer from tinnitus, there are few conditions more difficult to comprehend. The problem with tinnitus is that if you are not afflicted with it, you won’t see, feel, or hear the symptoms in the same way you would other conditions.
Tinnitus is a very real and extremely difficult experience for the nearly 50 million Americans who suffer from it. Tinnitus is best classified as ringing in the ears, but the American Tinnitus Association says, it can present sufferers with whistling, hissing, swooshing, clicking, and buzzing. Maybe the most frustrating part of tinnitus is that these noises aren’t perceptible by others, which can lead to disorientation, delayed diagnosis, confusion, and depression.
While that 50 million number is large, it seems even more astounding when put in the context that it means about 15 percent of the general public struggles with tinnitus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that roughly 20 million of those people have what’s known as burdensome chronic tinnitus, while another two million suffer from symptoms that are severe and debilitating.
There’s a common link between hearing loss and tinnitus, which is why people frequently turn to hearing aids to augment their hearing and to drown out the ringing. There are everyday things you can do to decrease the ringing along with using hearing aids.
If you have tinnitus here are 10 things to avoid:
- Poor sleeping habits; Mom wasn’t joking when she said you needed to get eight hours every night. Getting enough sleep can help you to avoid tinnitus triggers and also offers a wide range of other health benefits.
- Jaw issues; If you’re having jaw pain, you should already be contacting a doctor, but especially if you also suffer from tinnitus. Relieving jaw pain might have some effect on your tinnitus because the jaw and ears share nerves and ligaments.
- Excess earwax; In the grand scheme of how your ears work, there’s no doubt that earwax helpful. But actually dirt is trapped and our ears are protected by this gunk that we hate. Even so, tinnitus can get worse if too much wax builds up. To make sure it doesn’t accumulate to a dangerous amount, your doctor can clear some of it out and help with prevention.
- Infections; There’s a long-running commentary about the need to find a cure for the common cold, particularly because a lingering cold can quickly change into a sinus infection. Infections in both the ears and sinus have been known to aggravate tinnitus, so make sure you’re doing everything you can to reduce your exposure to infections.
- Loud sounds; It may be obvious but the sounds you’re hearing internally can be made worse by loud noises. Be cautious of scenarios where you’ll hear sounds at an increased level. This includes construction sites, concerts, and loud restaurants. If you can’t avoid loud settings, think about using earplugs to shield you from some of the noise. People who have loud jobs are particularly benefited by ear plugs.
- Smoking; Smoking is another habit that can increase your blood pressure. Also, it can make the tinnitus worse by narrowing the blood vessels to the ears.
- Hazardous blood pressure levels; If you want to keep your tinnitus in check you should keep track of your blood pressure which can also help safeguard you from other illnesses. It’s significant to note that both high and low blood pressure levels can worsen tinnitus, so you should be persistent about consistently checking your blood pressure.
- Alcohol; There’s a well-known adage that states drinking a small amount of wine every day can have a positive impact on heart health and cholesterol levels, and that may be true; however, you definitely can have too much of a good thing when it comes to alcohol and tinnitus. For many people drinking too much alcohol causes tinnitus symptoms to be more evident because it tends to raise your blood pressure.
- Caffeine; Once again, a spike in tinnitus levels goes along with this influence due to a rise in blood pressure. You could also find that too much caffeine alters your sleeping habits.
- Some medicines; Certain medications like aspirin, for example, are good at decreasing pain but they could also induce tinnitus. Tinnitus can also be impacted by other medication like prescription cancer drugs or antibiotics. However, you should always consult with your doctor about any issues you’re having before dropping a prescribed medication.
You can take back your life and control your tinnitus symptoms even though there is no official cure. You may be surprised in the changes in your overall health and your tinnitus symptoms if you try these 10 suggestions. If these don’t help, make an appointment with a hearing care professional.