Tinnitus is an exceptionally common condition of the ear. It’s one of the most common health conditions in the world with some estimates indicating that up to 10 percent of the population experiences it at one time or another. The condition manifests as a sound in the ear that isn’t really there, typically, it’s a buzzing or ringing, but tinnitus can take the form of other sounds also.
Unfortunately, the causes of tinnitus aren’t as obvious as the symptoms. In part, that’s because tinnitus may result from a wide array of causes, some of which are temporary and others that can be more permanent.
This is why environmental factors can Have a major impact on tinnitus symptoms. If the background sound of your particular setting is very noisy, you might be harming your hearing. This environmental tinnitus might sometimes be permanent or it may sometimes respond to changes to make your environment quieter.
Why do so many people experience tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition that causes you to hear a noise that isn’t actually there. Tinnitus typically manifests as a ringing or buzzing, but can also manifest as other sounds, like screeching, thumping, or humming. Normally, the sounds are steady or rhythmic. Tinnitus will normally clear itself up after a short period of time. In less common cases, tinnitus may become effectively permanent, a condition referred to as chronic tinnitus.
There are a couple of reasons why tinnitus is so common. The first is that the environmental factors that play a role in tinnitus are also fairly common (more on that in a bit). Underlying conditions and injuries can contribute to tinnitus symptoms and that accounts for the second reason. Put simply, there are many such injuries or conditions that can cause tinnitus. As a result, tinnitus tends to be very common.
How can the environment impact tinnitus?
Other things can also produce tinnitus, including ototoxic medications and chemicals. But when it involves “environmental” triggers, noise is the biggest culprit. Some settings, such as noisy city streets, can get very loud. Likewise, anybody who works around industrial equipment all day would be at risk of their environment worsening their tinnitus.
These environmental factors can be exceptionally significant when considering your hearing health.
As with hearing loss, noise-related damage can eventually trigger tinnitus symptoms. In these circumstances, the resulting tinnitus is often chronic in nature. Some of the most prevalent noise and environment-related causes of tinnitus include the following:
- Traffic: Traffic in heavily populated locations can be much louder than you may expect it to be. And you might not even recognize that your ears can be damaged at lower volumes than you might expect. Long commutes or regular driving in these loud environments can eventually result in hearing damage, including tinnitus.
- Noise in the workplace: It might come as a surprise that lots of workplaces, sometimes even offices, are fairly loud. Tinnitus can eventually result from being in these settings for eight hours a day, whether it’s industrial equipment or the din of a lot of people talking in an office.
- Music: Many individuals will often listen to their music at high volumes. Tinnitus will frequently be the result if you do this regularly.
- Events: Tinnitus can sometimes be caused by loud noises, even if they aren’t experienced over a long time-period. For instance, going to a concert or using firearms can both lead to tinnitus if the volumes get to a high enough level.
People frequently wrongly believe hearing damage will only happen at extreme volume levels. As a result, it’s important to use hearing protection before you think you might need it. Hearing protection can help prevent tinnitus symptoms from developing in the first place.
If I’m experiencing tinnitus, what should I do?
So, does tinnitus resolve? Perhaps, in some instances. In other situations, your symptoms may be permanent. Initially, it’s basically impossible to know which is which. Likewise, just because your tinnitus has reseeded doesn’t mean that noise damage hasn’t happened, resulting in an increased chance of chronic tinnitus in the future.
Individuals tend to underestimate the minimum volume that damage starts to happen, which is the most significant contributing factor to its advancement. Damage has most likely already occurred if you’re experiencing tinnitus. This means that there are a number of things that you should do to change your environment so as to prevent more irreparable damage.
For instance, you could try:
- Wearing hearing protection (either earplugs or earmuffs) in order to prevent damage. You can also get some amount of protection from noise canceling headphones.
- If you’re in a noisy setting, limit the amount of exposure time and give your ears breaks.
- Lowering the volume of your environment when possible. If you have any machinery that’s not in use, turn it off, and close the windows if it’s noisy outside, for example.
Managing symptoms
Many people who experience chronic tinnitus find the symptoms to be extremely distracting and unpleasant. As a result, they often ask: how do you calm tinnitus?
You should give us a call for an appointment if you are hearing a persistent buzzing or ringing in your ears. We will be able to assess your symptoms and figure out how best to manage them. There’s no cure for the majority of forms of chronic tinnitus. Symptom management might include the following:
- Retraining therapy: In some situations, you can work with a specialist to retrain your ears, gradually changing the way you process sound.
- Masking device: This is a device that fits like a hearing aid and plays sounds to mask your symptoms. Your device will be specially calibrated to mask your symptoms of tinnitus.
- Relaxation techniques: High blood pressure has sometimes been connected to an increase in the intensity of tinnitus symptoms. So taking some time to relax (with meditation, for instance) can sometimes help reduce your tinnitus symptoms.
- White noise devices: Using a white noise device around your home can help you tune out your tinnitus in some cases.
- Hearing aid: This can help amplify outside sounds and, as a result, drown out the ringing or buzzing produced by tinnitus.
There’s no cure for tinnitus. That’s why managing your environment to protect your hearing is a great first step.
But tinnitus can be managed and managed. Depending on your lifestyle, your hearing, and your tinnitus, we’ll be able to formulate a specific treatment plan for you. For some people, dealing with your tinnitus may simply mean using a white noise machine. For others, management might be more intense.
Learn how to best control your tinnitus by making an appointment right away!
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