Picture this: No matter where you go or what you do, there is a sound that travels with you. It might be a ringing, a whoosh sound or buzzing. Whatever the sound is, it stays with you and you can’t escape it. Tinnitus is the perception of ringing when no external sound is being produced. It is a phantom sound.
About 20 million Americans suffer from chronic tinnitus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, to make matters worse, the pandemic has created new cases as well as worsening of tinnitus symptoms in those who already have it. So what can you do to reduce those constant phantom noises? Let’s take a look.
Practice mindfulness
When you suffer from tinnitus, it can make you feel angry and frustrated. It can also prevent you from focusing on anything other than the noise you are hearing in your ear or ears. This can lead to increased anxiety that only worsens the sound. By practicing mindfulness, it can give you the tools you need to replace that stress response with something more relaxing. Doing so can even desensitize you to the ring.
Disguise the ringing
It might sound weird, but it can work. Many people have found that distracting yourself with other background noise can help tune down the ringing. It might be something as simple as running a fan or putting the radio on between stations or using a white noise machine. This can also help you sleep better at night.
Get your hearing checked
An injury or exposure to loud noises can increase your risk of developing tinnitus. In fact, many people develop tinnitus as the result of hearing loss, which is more common as you get older. One type of hearing loss involves damage to the tiny hairs in the cochlea that make it possible to hear certain frequencies. The loss of those cells signals your brain to question where the frequency is coming from. Getting your hearing checked is key to finding an underlying cause.
Contact us today to learn more about tinnitus and how you can find relief and get a better night’s sleep.
