Tinnitus is an extremely common condition of the ear. Some estimates indicate that 10 percent of people have tinnitus at one time or another, making it one of the most common health conditions in the world. Although the most common manifestation of tinnitus is a phantom ringing or buzzing in your ear, it can also present as other sounds as well.
Sadly, the causes of tinnitus aren’t as evident as the symptoms. Some of the wide range of tinnitus causes are temporary, while others can be more long term.
This is why environmental factors can play a major role in tinnitus symptoms. After all, every environment has a soundscape, and when that soundscape is noisy, you may be causing damage to your ears. If your tinnitus is caused by damage, it could end up being permanent.
Why do so many individuals experience tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a condition that causes you to hear a sound that isn’t really there. Tinnitus normally manifests as a ringing or buzzing, but can also manifest as other sounds, like screeching, thumping, or humming. Usually, the sounds are steady or rhythmic. Tinnitus will typically clear itself up after a short time period. In less common cases, tinnitus might become effectively permanent, a condition known as chronic tinnitus.
Tinnitus is so common for a couple of reasons. Firstly, environmental factors that can play a role in tinnitus are fairly common. The second reason is that tinnitus is usually a symptom of an underlying condition or injury. Put simply, there are many such injuries or conditions that can trigger tinnitus. Consequently, tinnitus tends to be rather common.
How is tinnitus impacted by environmental factors?
There are a large number of factors that can contribute to tinnitus symptoms, including ototoxic chemicals and medicines. But when it comes to “environmental” triggers, noise is the biggest culprit. Some settings, such as noisy city streets, can get very loud. Likewise, anyone who works around industrial equipment all day would be at risk of their environment exacerbating their tinnitus.
These environmental factors can be exceptionally important when considering your hearing health.
Noise induced damage, as with hearing loss, can activate tinnitus symptoms. In these circumstances, the resulting tinnitus tends to be chronic in nature. Here are some of the most prevalent noise-related causes of tinnitus:
- Events: If noise is loud enough, even over short stretches, tinnitus can sometimes be the outcome. Firing a gun or going to a rock concert are instances of this type of noise.
- Music: Many individuals will often listen to their music at high volumes. Tinnitus will often be the outcome if you do this regularly.
- Traffic: Traffic in heavily populated places can be much louder than you may expect it to be. And you might not even realize that your ears can be damaged at lower volumes than you might expect. Long commutes or regular driving in these loud environments can eventually lead to hearing damage, including tinnitus.
- 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 continuous workplace noise can eventually lead to tinnitus.
Damage to the ears can happen at a much lower volume than people generally expect. As a result, it’s crucial to wear hearing protection before you think you might need it. Hearing protection can help prevent tinnitus symptoms from developing in the first place.
What should I do if I have tinnitus?
Will tinnitus go away by itself? Perhaps, in some cases. But your symptoms might be permanent in some instances. There’s no way to know which is which at the outset. Moreover, just because your tinnitus has reseeded doesn’t mean that noise damage hasn’t occurred, leading to an increased chance of chronic tinnitus in the future.
One of the most significant contributing factors to the development of tinnitus is that people tend to underestimate the volume at which damage happens to their ears. Damage has most likely already occurred if you’re experiencing tinnitus. If this is the case, finding and changing the source of the noise damage is crucial to prevent additional damage.
For instance, you could try:
- Limiting the amount of time you spend in noisy environments without giving your ears a chance to recover.
- Using hearing protection (either earplugs or earmuffs) in order to prevent damage. Noise canceling headphones can also be a benefit in this regard.
- Reducing the volume of your environment when possible. If you have any machinery that isn’t in use, turn it off, and close the windows if it’s noisy outside, for instance.
Dealing with symptoms
The symptoms of tinnitus are frequently a big distraction and are really unpleasant for the majority of people who deal with them. This prompts them to attempt to find a way to ease the severity of their symptoms.
If you hear a ringing or buzzing sound, it’s important to schedule an appointment, particularly if the sound doesn’t go away. We can help you figure out the best way to manage your specific situation. There’s no cure for most forms of chronic tinnitus. Symptom management may include the following:
- Hearing aid: The ringing or buzzing created by tinnitus can be drowned out by amplifying the volume of external sounds with hearing aids.
- Masking device: This device is similar to a hearing aid, only instead of boosting sounds, it masks them. Your device will be specifically calibrated to mask your tinnitus symptoms.
- Retraining therapy: In some cases, you can work with a specialist to retrain your ears, slowly changing the way you process sound.
- Relaxation techniques: Tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be exacerbated by high blood pressure. So taking some time to relax (with meditation, for instance) can sometimes help decrease your tinnitus symptoms.
- White noise devices: Using a white noise device around your home can help you tune out your tinnitus in some instances.
Tinnitus is not curable. A great first step would be to protect your hearing by managing your environment.
But tinnitus can be managed and treated. Depending on your lifestyle, your hearing, and your tinnitus, we’ll be able to develop a specific treatment plan for you. A white noise machine, for many individuals, may be all that’s necessary. For other people, management may be more intense.
Set up an appointment to find out how to regulate your tinnitus symptoms.
