Know Tinnitus Symptoms and It's Simple Treatment

Author: Viraj Shukla

Tinnitus is the disorder of the Ear. As a result, various alternative treatments, hearing aids and therapies will help you alleviate and dispel the symptoms.

Tinnitus is a condition of the ear, wherein the patient hears an unexplained hissing, ringing or whistling sound in their ears, in the absence of any sound. This unexplained ringing sound heard in the ears is called tinnitus. Initially, they appear as minute symptoms, but, gradually they escalate into greater problems, causing extreme mental and physical discomfort for the patient. So, to understand this condition better, let us first understand how tinnitus occurs. Tinnitus mainly occurs when our ears are exposed to sudden loud sounds, like a rock concert or a loud music event. It is a slight hissing or ringing sound that we experience immediately after the event. However, the resulting tinnitus is temporary and immediately goes away after some time.

According to tinnitus specialists, the innermost part of our ear, called the cochlea, consists of tiny hair cells. These tiny hair cells react to sound waves that reach our ears. Their response is transmitted as signals to the auditory part of our brain. Our brain processes these signals and we identify the waves as sound. If our ears are constantly exposed to loud sound, these tiny hair cells present inside the cochlea get damaged permanently. As a result, the auditory part of the brain does not receive sound signals as expected. This absence confuses the brain, and, in such confusion, the brain creates its own sound signals. These newly created sound signals are what we hear as an unexplained ringing or whistling sound in our ears.

Avoid medications

  • As you now know, in most cases, tinnitus is a disorder of the brain rather than of the ear. And a problem that originates in the brain cannot be treated by taking medication that is meant for treating the ears. This disorder is also the reason why tinnitus is a more permanent and sometimes recurring problem, which escalates with age if not treated correctly. You may want to believe that medication can treat tinnitus. You may have come across advertisements that claim to have found the cure for tinnitus. It is better to consult a doctor or a tinnitus specialist to confirm this before you plan to take the medication you saw in the ad. Because, as of date, there is no cure for tinnitus. It is critical that you remember that tinnitus is a disorder of the brain. Hence, getting medicated for the ear won’t serve the purpose.

Meditation

  • Don’t let the lack of treatment options or medication for tinnitus affect you. You don’t need to be worried or become tense; there are various alternative therapy options available that can help with the symptoms, and let you lead a peaceful life with this condition. Alternative treatments do not treat the symptoms but make you comfortable with the condition. One such effective technique is meditation and mindfulness.

  • Normally, we react compulsively and aggressively to the ringing sounds. This reaction intensifies these sounds further and causes immense stress and mental discomfort. By reacting to tinnitus symptoms, we focus more on these unwanted sounds, which cripples us to inactivity and creates havoc in our personal and family lives. Meditation calms your mind and teaches you to acknowledge, accept and respond positively to tinnitus. Once we accept the presence of such symptoms, their effect gradually reduces. Moreover, once your mind accepts the inevitable, it will shift its focus onto other more productive activities in your daily lives. This shift of focus greatly helps you go back to your normal routine. Once you start doing mindful meditation, you will experience calmness, which will help you with putting up with tinnitus.

Hearing aids

  • Most people suffering from tinnitus also have hearing problems. A tinnitus test will prove this condition. If left untreated, tinnitus aggravates the problem further, causing great discomfort and extreme difficulty in focusing on day to day activities. Specially designed hearing aids can help treat the problem of hearing loss as well as tinnitus. Hearing devices will send precise sound signals into your ears. This will help you focus on the real sounds rather than the unwanted sounds. If required, the device can also increase the pitch and volume of these sounds, so that even in crowded places, you can focus on the important sounds. This way, you’ll be able to shift your focus away from the tinnitus symptoms and lead a happy and healthy life. When at home, listen to soft music as and when possible. This will shift your focus away from tinnitus. Your favorite music can work wonders at helping you shift your focus from the irritating tinnitus symptoms. This will greatly help to relax your mind and induce that much-needed sleep.

The essence lies in shifting your mental focus away from the tinnitus symptoms. The more you focus on the sounds, they become more overpowering and overwhelming and may cripple you into inactivity and depression. The moment you shift your focus away from these symptoms, their intensity will decrease. They will cease to have any control over your mind. Rather, you would be controlling them and dispelling them.

It is important to understand the true origin of the symptoms of tinnitus to find the right treatment. Visit Richmond Audiology to know more.