Tinnitus is an involuntary sound perception heard only by the affected individual. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, or hissing within the ear when these sounds are not present in the environment. These annoying, unwanted noises can be intermittent or persistent. Tinnitus affects 10-15% of the population. While there is no cure, Hear Well Be Well™ offers products that can help treat tinnitus and serve as a tinnitus masker.
What can I do about tinnitus?
If you have, or suspect you have, tinnitus you should set up a hearing evaluation to determine what relief and treatment options are available for managing it. When it is determined that there are no specific medical issues involved, there are several options to consider. In the majority of cases, the individual experiencing tinnitus also has a hearing loss. The use of a hearing aid to amplify sounds can help cover up the tinnitus and make it less distracting.
Hear Well Be Well™ offers hearing instruments that can be used as both a hearing aid and sound generator for managing tinnitus. The Tinnitus Breaker™ feature of our hearing instrument produces white noise, a low volume noise of mixed frequencies that makes the distressing tinnitus noise less noticeable.
What are the causes of tinnitus?
Tinnitus symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly. There are many possible causes, including:
- Aging or stress
- Physical blockages (such as ear wax)
- Fluid build up or infection/disease in the inner ear
- High blood pressure/hardening of arteries
- Exposure to loud sounds (workplace noise, music at a high volume, firearms)
- Medications (prescriptions, over-the-counter remedies, vitamin, and mineral supplements)
- Overuse of artificial sweeteners, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine
- In very rare cases, brain issues such as aneurysms or acoustic tumours
Simple steps for relieving tinnitus
Tinnitus can be relieved through a few simple steps:
- Avoid loud noise and wear hearing protection when warranted.
- Be mindful when listening to music, including live concerts and volume settings while wearing headphones and earbuds.
- Decrease salt and nerve stimulants, including coffee, cola, tobacco, and aspirin.
- Monitor your stress level.
- Get ample rest and exercise.