Tinnitus is a condition in which people hear noises in their ears, even when there is no sound actually present. The noises can be very loud or soft, and they can persist for a long time. Some people experience tinnitus more often on certain days than others. Scientists aren’t sure why this is, but they are working to find out more about the condition.
Most of us are aware that tinnitus is generally worse at night and when we are in a quiet environment. However, we may also notice that some days tinnitus is worse than others. The fact is that tinnitus can be experienced more intensely on certain days. The reasons for this are not fully understood. It is not known why some people experience a strong reaction to certain stressful events, while others don’t notice any difference. It does not seem to be related to the amount of noise you are exposed to on the particular day. One theory is that some people’s bodies are more sensitive to sound on certain days. Another theory is that sound waves might be more intense on certain days due to weather conditions.
Tinnitus can be worse on different days of the week. The reason for this is that tinnitus is often associated with stress, and stress can be more evident on some days than others. It is thought that the fluctuation of hormone levels during the week can play a role in how tinnitus is experienced on a particular day. The hormone which is thought to be most important is cortisol. Some people with tinnitus also experience migraines, which are also associated with fluctuating hormone levels.
Stress hormone cortisol has been proven to impact hearing in animal experiments. “We observed that long-term stress increases the prevalence of tinnitus by 2.5 times,” says Professor Barbera Canlon, one of the researchers from The Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
There is no single answer to this question, as people’s individual experiences with tinnitus are highly variable. However, some theories suggest that there may be a link between tinnitus and various factors, including emotions, stress levels, and hygiene/sanitation conditions. Additionally, it is possible that certain days of the week are more likely to bring on symptoms due to something called “neurological variation.
Got Tinnitus? Here’s What You Can Do
A constant ringing in your ears is a remarkably irritating thing to overcome, but many time it simply goes away without intervention. There are plenty of methods for reducing or fully eliminating the problem. This article is going to provide some proven methods that just might help you to cope with tinnitus.
Reduce Stress Levels
Reducing your stress levels can be all that it takes to get rid of tinnitus. High levels of stress can cause a variety of different medical conditions, with tinnitus being one of them. So, controlling your levels of stress can also reduce or get rid of chronic ringing in your ears.
Avoid Loud Noises
Try to avoid exposing yourself to loud noises. Carry earplugs with you for situations where you might be exposed to extremely loud noise. You can even shove your fingers in your ears in an extreme case. For many sufferers of tinnitus, loud noises can trigger or make the condition worse.
Natural Remedies
Research the various natural remedies for tinnitus. There are many means that people were able to successfully treat tinnitus for centuries without the use of medication. Be sure to talk with your physician before trying something, as some herbs can interact with medication, and some of the options available may not be healthy for you.
Try Running
Running is a great exercise for those who suffer from Tinnitus! Staying active, in general, helps to reduce the symptoms of Tinnitus. But, running helps to keep your mind off of the uncomfortable feelings you have from Tinnitus. Plus, the fresh air you feel when you run can be beneficial!
Get Help With Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive-behavior therapy from a counselor may help. The purpose of this therapy would be to train you on how to not obsess and concentrate on your tinnitus every moment of every day.
If you get therapy to deal with tinnitus you can also deal with what brings on your stress. Doing this means you are better able to cope with and manage your affliction. Do not allow your condition to get the best of you; otherwise, you will never be able to enjoy life to its fullest.
Avoid Loud Gatherings
Instead of attending a football game at a bar, or in person, watch the game at your house. Keep the volume adjusted so you can hear it, but not so that it is overly loud. If you view the game in your own home you have control over how loud it becomes in the room, which helps keep your tinnitus from flaring up.
Use White Noise Generators
The ringing in your ears caused by tinnitus can keep you up late at night, but technology can help. There are many white noise generators which provide a variety of sounds for you to listen to, from a rainstorm to nighttime in a forest, which can drown out the sound in your ears.
Join A Tinnitus Support Group
To stay positive in the face of your condition, seek out a tinnitus support group. It can be difficult for people to understand what you’re going through if they don’t have tinnitus themselves. Talking to people who really understand your struggles can be wonderful. If there’s not a support group in your area, try to find one online.
Sleep In A Dark Room With Background Noise
Go to sleep in a room that is void of any light. Also make sure to go to sleep with some noise playing in the background. For example, you could leave on some soft music or use a white noise machine. Both of these things will help you get more rest and reduce the symptoms of your tinnitus.
Having gentle white noise can help you fall asleep when you have tinnitus, but loud noise can sometimes make your situation worse. Keeping earplugs with you when you travel can help you fall asleep without being kept awake by the parties in the next room or other noisy annoyances.
Get Your Hearing Checked
If you suffer from tinnitus, your first step should be getting your hearing checked. Even slight hearing loss can be enough to cause an onset of tinnitus. If you find that you do have hearing loss, simply getting hearing aids can eliminate your tinnitus symptoms. In a very few extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, or TRT, is beneficial in some cases. This will help make your condition more bearable. The idea behind TRT is that you habituate to the sound, thus it becomes just another part of your life, just like the clothes in your closet. You can simply train yourself to see tinnitus as a “non-issue”. In that way, you can put your attention on more important matters.
Learn as much you can about tinnitus. Tinnitus can manifest differently for everyone, but it’s important to learn about what it is, what can be done and how you can cope with it. The more information you have, the more comfortable you will feel about dealing with tinnitus at all.
Try Hypnosis
Something nontraditional that you can do to help with tinnitus is hypnosis. It is not your typical idea, however, is has been proven to help patients in the past. After you are hypnotized by a professional, you can also learn tips and tricks to do self-hypnosis at home.
White Noise
Use noises in the background to help drown out noise in your ears. A fan, the washing machine and the dishwasher can be just the kind of “white noise” that you need to take our mind off tinnitus. Focus on those noises in the background, or use them as a way to distract yourself, and you won’t be as aware of the sound in your ears.
Ask Support From family and Friends
Tell your friends and family about what you’re going through. It is important for you to surround yourself with people who are understanding and supportive; that can only happen if you share what is happening with your ears. Explain what tinnitus is, and how it affects your life, so that they are aware and can be there for you.
Many people suffer from tinnitus, but not everyone knows what it is. Make sure if you are one who suffers from this affliction you educate your friends, family and co-workers and ask them to help you by cooperating in making your life easier. Explain to them how hard it is for you to handle stress, loud noises or certain foods.
Get Advice From A Chiropractors and A Dentist
Rule out various causes for your tinnitus. Some are very simple, such as tight muscles in your neck and shoulders. Visit a chiropractor for an evaluation. Jaw problems can also cause tinnitus, and a dentist can easily realign your jaw in some cases to remove the cause and relieve your tinnitus.
Partial Masking
Try partial masking. This entails hiding the sound of your tinnitus by listening to sounds that are very similar. This can include nature sounds, computer sounds or even the sound of a fan. Gradually lower the other sounds until your tinnitus appear to be as inconsequential as the other sounds you hear every day.
Background Noise
Use background noise to forget about tinnitus. You could leave your TV or radio on, or even hum and sing yourself. Covering the ringing noise will quickly become a habit, and you will soon not even think about tinnitus anymore and simply drown it in other noises. You should be careful about the volume of your background noise.
Get Your Blood Pressure Checked
If you are one of the unlucky people that suffer from tinnitus and you have noticed an increase in the severity of it, you may want to have your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure has proven to be one of the causes for increasing severity of tinnitus. If it is high, find ways to lower it.
Try Meditation
Take up meditation. Meditation will decrease stress, which in turn will make your tinnitus bearable. If you aren’t sure how to meditate, start with guided meditations that can help you learn how to relax and enter a meditative state. Learn about the different kinds of meditation to be sure which one is best for you.
Walking Can Help
Take a walk to put your tinnitus at bay. Distraction can be a very effective tactic when you are trying to live with the constant ringing in the ears. Walking can help in relieving the symptoms you are experiencing. Try a stroll along a shoreline or in the wind to increase the effectiveness.
Play A Musical Instrument
Start playing a musical instrument. Some who suffer from tinnitus have found some degree of relief from learning to play an instrument that requires breath work, such as a trumpet or flute. Whether or not it helps the sound in your ears, learning an instrument removes focus from tinnitus, and you will also develop an enjoyable and enviable skill.
Limit Cell Phone Use
If you suffer from Tinnitus, make sure to limit the amount of time you spend conversing on your cell phone. It is a scientifically proven fact that long hours spent talking on your cell phone not only results in brain damage, but also worsens Tinnitus. This is important to keep in mind if you enjoy talking on your cell phone a lot. Keep your conversations short and to the point to limit your exposure.
Do Neck Exercises
Sometimes tinnitus is caused by fluid build up in the Eustachian tubes inside the ear. This causes pressure and can lead to tinnitus symptoms. Try doing slow neck exercises to help elevate the pressure. Slowly roll your head from front to side to back for a few minutes and see if this helps reduce the pressure and eliminate your symptoms.
Don’t Blame Yourself!
Don’t blame yourself for tinnitus. There are many factors which lead to it developing, so it’s probably not just from listening to your Walkman too loudly as a child. Instead of beating yourself up you should take your anger and point it at the disease, dedicate yourself to eradicating it!
Don’t Give Up!
Live your life with an abundance of hope. For someone battling with tinnitus, a chronic condition that leaves your head in a constant state of “noise,” your outlook can be very distressing. Hope gives you something to believe in long term, which allows you to feel better both mentally and physically.
As previously mentioned, dealing with tinnitus can be difficult. Understanding the causes of tinnitus and what your treatment options are will help you reduce or eliminate tinnitus, or even prevent it. Use the tips here to aid you in being at peace.
Please Note:
The above article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice and treatment from your physician or provider of medical care. Visitors to Betterlivingplan.com are advised to consult their own qualified medical doctors and/or other qualified health professionals regarding the treatment of any medical or health problems that they may have.
