Managing Tinnitus Hearing Loss

by bigtee on April 25, 2011

Tinnitus hearing loss is an irritating condition that affects around 50 million Americans, ranging from the young to the elderly. Those who have this condition often describe it as hearing a roaring, ringing, whistling, buzzing, or hissing sound on either or both ears. While some find it tolerable, others are desperate to find a solution especially if it’s accompanied with hearing loss. There are many ways for you to manage your episodes without having to apply serious medical intervention.

Tinnitus Hearing Loss – Know your triggers

One highly suggested, and the first management for tinnitus hearing loss is knowing what triggers or aggravates your condition. Make a journal on what you do and eat every day and mark the hour when you experienced an attack or worsening of your symptoms. Use the journal to trace the closest activity, and try to avoid or lessen your exposure to that trigger in the future. If it’s a medication, inform your physician immediately so he can prescribe a replacement.

Stress Management

Stress is also among the popular tinnitus and hearing loss causes so avoid them as much as possible. Let your assistant do a couple of office work and manage other small jobs yourself if you feel like you’re getting too much pressure. Have the family share household responsibilities so that you will have some time to rest. If, however, stressful situations cannot be avoided, apply stress management techniques such as exercise, yoga, biofeedback, or relaxation therapy.

Earplugs for Tinnitus Hearing Loss

Everyday noises can cause tinnitus hearing loss. Protect your ears by using ear muffs or earplugs whenever you use the lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, and even your hair dryer. Always keep these protective items with you as you never know when you will come across a workman using a jackhammer in a construction site.

Maskers and Hearing Aids

Keeping in an extremely quiet environment is as worse as being in a noisy room. If the place you’re in is very quiet, distract yourself from the roaring of your ears by turning on the fan or playing some soft music. If you are with someone who wishes to have complete silence, there are tinnitus maskers that will produce white noise for you without disturbing your companion. It’s similar to a hearing aid, only it’s producing a certain pitch of noise that will “cancel out” the ringing in your ears. Some hearing aids come equipped with tinnitus maskers for better management of tinnitus hearing loss. Although this device is beneficial for many, some do not respond well to this hearing loss treatment.

Adequate rest and sleep

Sleep and rest are both important for a person suffering from tinnitus hearing loss. Lack of sleep can either trigger an attack, or worsen tinnitus and hearing loss. As a person suffering from tinnitus, you know that getting adequate sleep can be a problem as the constant ringing prevents you from falling asleep. You can listen to subliminal music, turn on white noise such as a TV with static or a fan to distract you from the ringing sound you hear.

These are just some of the alternative management you can use for tinnitus hearing loss. Some require several months of therapy, while other modes of treatment such as tinnitus retraining therapy will give rise to desired results after 18 months to 2 years. With or without hearing loss, tinnitus is a condition that is manageable and treatable as long as you apply the right treatment. One important thing that you have to know is that these treatments vary from person to person. Even though one reports success in a treatment, do not expect that you will get the same response as well. Be patient and try another form of tinnitus hearing loss management if the present one is not working for you.

Comments on this entry are closed.