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.
But for the nearly 50 million Americans who experience some form of tinnitus, the condition is very real and can be very challenging to deal with. Ringing in the ears is the best classification of tinnitus, but the American Tinnitus Association says, it can present sufferers with whistling, hissing, swooshing, clicking, and buzzing. Maybe the most disheartening part of tinnitus is that these sounds aren’t detectable by others, which can lead to disorientation, delayed diagnosis, confusion, and depression.
While that 50 million number is huge, it’s even more astounding when put in the context that it means about 15 percent of the overall public battles with tinnitus. A report released by the U.S. Center for Disease Control says that 2 million of those individuals experience symptoms that are debilitating and extreme while another 20 million have what’s considered burdensome and chronic tinnitus.
In order to augment their hearing and drown out the ringing, people with tinnitus often try hearing aids. There are everyday things you can do to minimize the ringing along with wearing hearing aids.
If you have tinnitus here are 10 things to avoid:
- Specific medicines; Over-the-counter medicines including aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be very effective at easing pain, but they could actually increase your tinnitus symptoms. There are other prescription medications including antibiotics and cancer drugs that can also have an impact on tinnitus. However, you should always consult with your doctor about any problems you’re having before stopping a prescribed medication.
- Smoking; Smoking is another habit that can increase your blood pressure. Also, it can make the tinnitus worse by shrinking the blood vessels to the ears.
- Alcohol; Your cholesterol and heart health can be positively impacted by drinking a small amount of wine each day, or so the old adage goes. But with regards to alcohol and tinnitus, you can have too much of a good thing. For certain people drinking too much alcohol makes tinnitus symptoms louder because it tends to raise your blood pressure.
- Caffeine; Here’s another influencer of blood pressure that can cause a spike in levels. You might also find that too much caffeine alters your sleeping habits.
- Infections; Since a lingering cold can quickly turn into a sinus infection there has always been commentary about the need to find a cure for it. Infections in both the ears and sinus have been known to intensify tinnitus, so make certain you’re doing everything you can to limit your exposure to infections.
- Hazardous blood pressure levels; If you want to keep your tinnitus under control you should monitor your blood pressure which can also help safeguard you from other ailments. You should be persistent about consistently checking your blood pressure because both high and low blood pressure can make tinnitus worse.
- Loud sounds; This one probably seems obvious, but it’s worth repeating that loud noises can worsen the sounds you’re already hearing internally. If a scenario happens where you will be subjected to loud noises, be careful. This can include concerts, loud restaurants, and construction sites. Consider shielding your ears with earplugs if you can’t steer clear of the noise. Earplugs can be very helpful for individuals whose job involves using loud machinery.
- Poor sleeping habits; Mom wasn’t kidding when she said you needed to get eight hours each night. Sleep is another critical aspect of a healthy life that offers a wide range of benefits, including helping to avoid triggers of tinnitus.
- Excess earwax; In the grand scheme of how your ears work, it’s a known fact that earwax helpful. But actually dirt is trapped and our ears are protected by this gunk that we hate. In spite of this, tinnitus can get worse if too much wax accumulates. To make certain it doesn’t accumulate to an unsafe amount, your doctor can clear some of it out and help with prevention.
- Jaw issues; You should see a doctor if you have jaw pain and even more so if you are experiencing tinnitus. Minimizing jaw pain may have some impact on your tinnitus since the jaw and ears share nerves and ligaments.
Although there’s no established cure for tinnitus, there are ways to regulate the symptoms and take back your life. You may be surprised in the changes in your general health and your tinnitus symptoms if you try these 10 suggestions. If these don’t help, set up an appointment with a hearing care professional.