Tinnitus

Tinnitus

Tinnitus or “ringing in the ears”, is the awareness of a noise produced inside the body rather than from an external source. There are many possible causes from exposure to loud noise, ear canal and nerve damage, to brain tumours and diseases to stress and side effects from prescribed drugs. The intrusiveness of tinnitus can be so bad that some suffers opt for suicide – its that bad. Anybody suffering from tinnitus is clearly aware of how difficult it is to live with the condition. The noise can be buzzing, clicking, ringing or even musical sounds. Everyone suffers differently, but the common factor is the noise drives everyone crazy.

Most tinnitus comes from damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear. The health of these nerve endings is important for acute hearing, and injury to them brings on hearing loss and often tinnitus. During the day, the distraction of activities and the sounds around you make your tinnitus less obvious. When your surroundings are quiet, your tinnitus may seem louder and more constant. Otosclerosis is another condition that can bring on Tinnitus. This condition is a bony growth around one of the bones of the middle ear.

Some foods and substances can make it worse. Alcohol, caffeine and soda drinks can do this and some dairy products. Stress is another trigger for tinnitus. Stress causes high blood pressure and other problems which can dramatically increase the ringing noises. Reducing stress through yoga, mediation and exercise help. Being exposed to loud noise will for certain cause ear damage that CANNOT be reversed. The iPOD generation have an unpleasant time ahead of them. There will be an influx of tinnitus cases effecting millions of people around the world.

Tinnitus Treatment

White noise generators are a way of ‘masking’ tinnitus. Some of the methods include running water, fan noise, air conditioner noise, ticking clock, white noise, pink noise, seaside sounds, and static radio noise.

Whilst white noise generators or maskers are not a cure for tinnitus, they can provide a great help and relief to suffers.