What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is commonly known as “ringing of the ears”: it is a condition in which the brain hears phantom sounds without the stimulus of an external noise source. The sound may appear as a whoosh, whistle, or pop, in addition to ringing.
Ninety-percent of tinnitus cases accompany some degree of hearing loss. Tinnitus affects approximately 50 million Americans, while 60% of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq report cases of tinnitus and hearing loss.
There are two types of tinnitus: objective and subjective. Objective tinnitus can be heard by the person who has the condition, as well as by people in close proximity. Subjective tinnitus can only be heard by the person with tinnitus. Though there is no singular cause for tinnitus, it is believed that tinnitus occurs after exposure to dangerous levels of sound over a lengthy period of time or after a short traumatic burst of sound, such as gunfire or an explosion. Another cause is certain classes of medications, such as aminoglycoside antibiotics.
Tinnitus may appear infrequently or be a permanent fixture in a person’s day, from morning to night. It has been linked to increasing the risk of depression, stress, and anxiety. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to address tinnitus, from seeking treatment with an audiologist to learning relaxation exercises. See below for a few more coping strategies to alleviate tinnitus in your life.
Treating Tinnitus with Hearing Aids
Tinnitus appears in 80% of cases of hearing loss. Though tinnitus cannot be cured, there are treatments available in the form of sound therapy in hearing aids. Many hearing aid manufacturers have designed tinnitus treatment features into their devices. Sound therapy provides wearers with synthetic tones or natural sounds (waves, rain, etc.), allowing the brain to refocus itself away from the tinnitus sounds. With many hearing aids, wearers may control the volume and tones of the sound therapy.
To treat your tinnitus with hearing aids equipped with sound therapy options, you must take a hearing test and receive a hearing aid fitting. To begin the process, visit us at Desert Valley Audiology. Our audiologists will help you find the best hearing aids to bring relief to the symptoms of tinnitus.
Relaxation Exercises
Widex is a leading hearing aid manufacturer that provides a popular, trusted tinnitus solution, the ZEN. As such, they are very familiar with the frustrating experience of tinnitus. They provide the following relaxation exercises.
Before you start, they recommend that you find a quiet place and put on relaxing music (if it is distracting, turn it off). They also recommend loose clothing and for you to take off your shoes.
The progressive muscle relaxation exercise allows you to focus on muscles in different areas of your body. Concentrate on specific muscle groups – like your right foot, for example – tighten the muscle and hold it for 8 seconds before releasing it. Repeat this exercise on every muscle group throughout your body.
The deep breathing relaxation consists of four steps, to be repeated 20 times: 1) exhale through your mouth; 2) inhale through your nose for 4 seconds; 3) hold your breath for 4 seconds; and 4) exhale through your mouth 6-8 seconds.
After reaching a state of relaxation with the deep breathing exercise, Widex experts recommend that you close your eyes and imagine a scene that provides you with further relaxation – a beach or the woods, perhaps.
Widex’s Zen device provides relaxation with music therapy. At Desert Valley Audiology, we are proud to offer Widex Zen2Go, a tinnitus management program that consists of counseling, amplification, Zen Tones, and behavioral exercises to retrain your brain.
Meditation, Therapy and Counseling
Tinnitus can be exacerbated with stress. Already, the sounds of tinnitus may be frustrating and thus can be compounded if we find ourselves in situations that a particularly demanding. In these times, it is important to learn coping strategies to de-escalate.
A quick meditation – just 10 or 20 minutes – might be helpful. Sitting quietly, focus your thoughts on your breath. If thoughts cross your mind, observe them neutrally and let them pass by. Focusing on your breath allows you to train your brain away from the frustrating sounds of tinnitus.
Group therapy and counseling may be useful options for people who have struggled long-term with tinnitus. According to Hear It, “As psychology plays a major part, therapy can help you accept your tinnitus and reduce emotional impact. Often therapy includes thought control, instructions in relaxation techniques, and stress management.”
You don’t have to live with tinnitus! Visit us at Desert Valley Audiology for more information on treatment options.