Tinnitus is an incredibly common condition of the ear. Some estimates suggest that 10 percent of people experience tinnitus at one time or another, making it one of the most prevalent health conditions in the world. The condition is experienced as a sound in the ear that isn’t actually there, typically, it’s a buzzing or ringing, but tinnitus can take the form of other sounds also.
Sadly, the causes of tinnitus aren’t as evident as the symptoms. In part, that’s because tinnitus may result from a wide range of causes, some of which are temporary and others that can be more permanent.
That’s why your environment can be really important. After all, every environment has a soundscape, and when that soundscape is noisy, you could be doing damage to your ears. If your tinnitus is caused by damage, it could end up being permanent.
Why do so many people experience tinnitus?
When you hear noises that aren’t actually there, that’s tinnitus. For the majority of people, tinnitus manifests as a ringing or buzzing, but it may possibly also present as thumping, humming, screeching, or other sounds as well. The sounds are usually rhythmic in nature. Tinnitus will usually clear itself up after a short time period. Though not as common, chronic tinnitus is effectively permanent.
There are a couple of reasons why tinnitus is so common. Firstly, environmental factors that can contribute to tinnitus are rather common. The second reason is that tinnitus is often a symptom of a root condition or injury. And there are a wide variety of conditions and injuries that can result in tinnitus. Consequently, tinnitus tends to be very common.
How can the environment impact tinnitus?
There are a large number of factors that can bring about tinnitus symptoms, including ototoxic chemicals and medicines. But when it comes to “environmental” triggers, noise is the biggest offender. Some locations, such as noisy city streets, can get very loud. Likewise, anybody who works around industrial equipment all day would be at risk of their environment exacerbating their tinnitus.
These environmental factors can be exceptionally important when considering your hearing health.
As with hearing loss, noise-induced damage can eventually trigger tinnitus symptoms. In these cases, the resulting tinnitus is often chronic in nature. Some of the most prevalent noise and environment-induced causes of tinnitus include the following:
- Noise in the workplace: It may come as a surprise that many workplaces, sometimes even offices, are pretty loud. Whether it’s industrial equipment or gabby office neighbors, spending eight hours a day around continuous workplace noise can eventually result in tinnitus.
- Music: Listening to music at high volumes is a pretty common practice. Doing this on a regular basis can often trigger tinnitus symptoms.
- Traffic: Traffic in heavily populated areas can be a lot louder than you may expect it to be. And noise damage can happen at a lower volume than you might expect. Long commutes or consistent driving in these noisy settings can eventually lead to hearing damage, including tinnitus.
- Events: If noise is loud enough, even over short stretches, tinnitus can sometimes be the result. For instance, going to a concert or using firearms can both lead to tinnitus if the volumes get to a high enough level.
People often mistakenly think hearing damage will only occur at extreme volume levels. Consequently, it’s important to wear hearing protection before you think you may need it. Hearing protection can help you avoid tinnitus symptoms from developing in the first place.
If I’m experiencing tinnitus, what should I do?
Will tinnitus clear up on its own? Well, in some instances it may. In other cases, your symptoms could be irreversible. There’s no way to tell which is which at the beginning. If you have tinnitus due to noise damage, even if your tinnitus does go away, your chance of having your tinnitus return and become chronic is much more likely.
People often underestimate the minimum volume that damage starts to happen, which is the most significant contributing factor to its advancement. Damage has likely already happened if you’re experiencing tinnitus. If this is the situation, finding and changing the source of the noise damage is crucial to prevent additional damage.
For example, you could try:
- If possible, try to decrease environmental volume. If you have any machinery that’s not in use, turn it off, and close the windows if it’s noisy outside, for instance.
- Stop damage by utilizing hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs. You can also get some amount of protection from noise canceling headphones.
- If you’re in a loud setting, regulate the amount of exposure time and give your ears rests.
How to handle your symptoms
Many people who experience persistent tinnitus find the symptoms to be tremendously disruptive and unpleasant. As a result, they often ask: how do you calm tinnitus?
You should contact us for an appointment if you’re hearing a persistent ringing or buzzing in your ears. We can help you determine the best way to manage your specific situation. For most cases of chronic tinnitus, there’s no cure. Here are a number of ways to manage the symptoms:
- Hearing aid: The ringing or buzzing created by tinnitus can be drowned out by amplifying the volume of external sounds with hearing aids.
- White noise devices: Utilizing a white noise device around your home can help you tune out your tinnitus in some instances.
- Relaxation techniques: Tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be exacerbated by high blood pressure. Your tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be alleviated by using relaxation techniques like meditation, for example.
- Retraining therapy: In some situations, you can work with a specialist to retrain your ears, slowly changing the way you process sound.
- Masking device: This is a device that fits similarly to a hearing aid and plays sounds to mask your symptoms. The precise calibration of your device will depend on your specific symptoms.
Tinnitus is not curable. That’s why managing your environment to protect your hearing is a great first step.
But treating and controlling tinnitus is possible. Depending on your lifestyle, your hearing, and your tinnitus, we’ll be able to develop a specific treatment plan for you. For some people, managing your tinnitus might simply mean making use of a white noise machine. In other cases, a more extensive approach might be needed.
Learn how to best manage your tinnitus by making an appointment right away!