It isn’t unusual for people to have ringing in their ears, also known as tinnitus. Some estimates suggest that 10 percent of people experience tinnitus at one time or another, making it one of the most common health conditions in the world. The condition is experienced as a sound in the ear that isn’t actually there, normally, it’s a buzzing or ringing, but tinnitus can take the form of other sounds too.
Sadly, the causes of tinnitus aren’t as obvious as the symptoms. Some of the wide array of tinnitus causes are temporary, while others can be more permanent.
This is why environmental factors can Have a major impact on tinnitus symptoms. After all, every environment has a soundscape, and when that soundscape is noisy, you could be doing damage to your ears. If your tinnitus is caused by damage, it may end up being permanent.
What is tinnitus (and why is it so common)?
Tinnitus is a condition that causes you to hear a sound that isn’t really there. For the majority of people, tinnitus manifests as a ringing or buzzing, but it may possibly also present as rumbling, humming, screeching, or other sounds as well. Typically, the sounds are constant or rhythmic. Tinnitus will typically clear itself up after a short time period. Though not as common, chronic tinnitus is effectively permanent.
Tinnitus is so prevalent for a couple of reasons. Firstly, environmental factors that can play a role in tinnitus are rather prevalent. Underlying conditions and injuries can bring about tinnitus symptoms and that accounts for the second reason. Put simply, there are many such injuries or conditions that can result in tinnitus. Tinnitus is quite prevalent for these reasons.
How can the environment impact tinnitus?
Other things can also cause tinnitus, including ototoxic medicines and chemicals. But when it comes to “environmental” triggers, noise is the biggest culprit. For example, some neighborhoods are louder than others (traffic noise in some areas can get exceptionally high). Likewise, anybody who works around industrial equipment all day would be at risk of their environment exacerbating their tinnitus.
These environmental factors can be incredibly important when considering your hearing health.
As with hearing loss, noise-induced damage can eventually trigger tinnitus symptoms. In these situations, the resulting tinnitus tends to be chronic in nature. Some of the most common noise and environment-related causes of tinnitus include the following:
- Noise in the workplace: Many workplaces, including offices, are often the source of loud noises. Whether it’s industrial equipment or gabby office neighbors, spending eight hours a day around constant workplace noise can eventually lead to tinnitus.
- Music: Listening to music at loud volumes is a fairly common practice. Doing this on a consistent basis can often cause tinnitus symptoms.
- Traffic: You might not even recognize how loud traffic can be in heavily populated locations. And noise damage can happen at a lower volume than you might expect. Tinnitus and hearing damage can be the outcome of long commutes in these loud settings.
- Events: If noise is loud enough, even over short stretches, tinnitus can sometimes be the result. For instance, going to a concert or using firearms can both result in tinnitus if the volumes reach a high enough level.
Hearing damage can happen at a far lower volume than people usually expect. Consequently, it’s crucial to use hearing protection before you think you might need it. Noise associated tinnitus symptoms can frequently be avoided altogether by doing this.
What should I do if I have tinnitus?
Will tinnitus go away on its own? Well, in some instances it might. In other situations, your symptoms could be permanent. Initially, it’s basically impossible to tell which is which. Moreover, just because your tinnitus has gone away for now doesn’t mean that noise damage hasn’t occurred, leading to an increased risk of chronic tinnitus in the future.
People often underestimate the minimum volume that damage starts to happen, which is the most significant contributing factor to its development. Damage has likely already happened 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 permanent damage.
Here are some tips you can try:
- Prevent damage by using hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs. You can also get some amount of protection from noise canceling headphones.
- If possible, try to decrease environmental volume. If you have any machinery that isn’t in use, turn it off, and close the windows if it’s noisy outside, for instance.
- If you’re in a loud environment, limit the amount of exposure time and give your ears rests.
How to deal with your symptoms
The symptoms of tinnitus are often a huge distraction and are quite uncomfortable for the majority of individuals who deal with them. This prompts them to try and find a way to ease the severity of their symptoms.
If you hear a ringing or buzzing sound, it’s essential to set up an appointment, especially if the sound won’t go away. We can help you determine the best way to handle your specific situation. For most cases of chronic tinnitus, there’s no cure. Symptom management might include the following:
- Masking device: This is a device that fits like a hearing aid and plays sounds to mask your symptoms. The exact calibration of your device will depend on your particular symptoms.
- White noise devices: Utilizing 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.
- Retraining therapy: In some cases, you can work with a specialist to retrain your ears, slowly modifying the way you process sound.
- Relaxation techniques: High blood pressure has sometimes been connected to an increase in the intensity of tinnitus symptoms. So taking a little time to relax (with meditation, for example) can sometimes help diminish your tinnitus symptoms.
Tinnitus is not curable. That’s why controlling your environment to protect your hearing is a practical first step.
But addressing and managing tinnitus is possible. Depending on your lifestyle, your hearing, and your tinnitus, we’ll be able to formulate a specific treatment plan for you. A white noise machine, for many people, may be all that’s needed. For other people, management might be more demanding.
Set up an appointment to learn how to regulate your tinnitus symptoms.