Tips for Managing Tinnitus at Home

For many people, it’s a daily struggle to find relief from that slight ringing sensation in your ears. Millions of people worldwide suffer from tinnitus, which is the perception of a slight ringing or buzzing in the ears. This can be a challenging condition to identify or understand because there are many underlying causes of tinnitus, and in most cases, only you can hear the sounds.

Reports show that roughly 15 percent of the United States population suffers from some severity of tinnitus. The majority of tinnitus cases stem from age-related hearing loss, which is entirely natural. However, in some cases, tinnitus can be a symptom of a much more serious medical condition, such as Lyme disease, Meniere’s disease, or acoustic neuroma, which is a benign tumor that can develop on the cranial nerve.

Since the cause of your tinnitus could be so varied, it’s critical to seek out the help of a doctor or audiologist who can diagnose the root of your tinnitus symptoms. From there, you can determine the best available treatment options. While working with a doctor or audiologist is important, there are also many things you can do at home to help manage your tinnitus symptoms. Here, we provide some tips for managing tinnitus at home—you may be shocked to see how simply (and affordable) most of these are.

HEALTHY DIET

What can’t a good diet do for you? While no specific foods have been linked to causing tinnitus, a healthy diet can reduce the symptoms and improve your overall health and wellbeing. Reducing your intake of fatty and salty foods can make an impact on the severity of your tinnitus. Consider substituting processed foods for more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, like chicken or fish. With a healthy, balanced diet, the health benefits are practically endless.

EXERCISE

Tinnitus can grow worse when you’re feeling upset, stressed, or agitated. A simple way to relieve stress (and even tinnitus symptoms) is exercise. You don’t need to hit the weights like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but moderate exercise, such as walking, hiking, or yoga, can help you manage tinnitus and reduce that buzzing in your ears.

CUTTING DOWN ON VICES

Similar to a healthy diet and exercise, this tip will benefit your healthy beyond reducing your tinnitus symptoms. For some people, smoking or drinking alcohol can increase the severity of their tinnitus. Why is this? Smoking can increase tinnitus symptoms in two ways: as a stimulant and by raising your blood pressure, which can affect your hearing nerve cells. Alcohol can also amplify your tinnitus symptoms by increasing blood flow and pressure to the inner ear.

YOGA OR MEDITATION

In addition to moderate exercise, such as walking or hiking, yoga and meditation are excellent ways to reduce stress, improve flexibility, and even lower your tinnitus symptoms. Yoga promotes inner peace and an awareness of your body that can drastically reduce stress. Like other forms of exercise, this reduction in stress often helps manage tinnitus.

SLEEP

Lack of sleep can have many serious health implications, including damaging effects on your digestive system, cardiovascular system, and overall brain function. Sleep, we all know, is important, and a lack of sufficient rest can even worsen your tinnitus symptoms. Most adults should try to average eight hours of sleep each night. Additionally, it’s important to have uninterrupted sleep so you can enter deep sleep, which is the most restorative for your mind and body.

WHITE NOISE AND MUSIC RELIEF

For many people suffering from tinnitus, masking the noise, whether with a white noise machine, fan, or the air conditioning, is an effective method for finding relief. A white noise machine is a device that emits a gentle noise (similar to rushing water or the wind) that masks other minor noises and can calm the listener. While many people use these devices to get a good night’s sleep, they’ve also been found to be effective for tinnitus relief.

If you’re not interested in investing in a white noise machine, many devices found in your home can also mask the symptoms of tinnitus. Turning on a fan, the air conditioning, or the stereo can provide relief. Relaxing music can mask the sounds of tinnitus, work as a distraction, and reduce stress.

TINNITUS TREATMENT

If these tips for managing tinnitus at home aren’t proving sufficient, you may want to reach out to a doctor or audiologist. Since tinnitus can have a variety of causes, a medical professional can help identify the exact cause of your tinnitus, which can then inform a possible treatment plan.

Currently, there is no medical cure for tinnitus; however, depending on the cause, there are various treatment options available. For some people, simply changing medication, a diet, or routine can help relieve tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus can also be caused by a buildup of earwax in the ear canal, which can be safely drained by a doctor.

For many cases, however, treating tinnitus may not be quite as simple. If you suffer from a more severe form of tinnitus, you may need to work with a professional audiologist to address your symptoms. Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is rapidly becoming a popular, and effective, method for treating tinnitus. Regardless of your treatment plan, simple tips like a healthier diet, cutting out smoking and alcohol, and exercising will only improve your symptoms and overall health.

CONCLUSION – TIPS FOR MANAGING TINNITUS AT HOME

That slight buzzing in your ears can make daily life a challenge. Tinnitus is not life-threatening, but it can make communication more difficult, lead to stress and irritation, and force people to become more isolated when a simple conversation seems like too much work. But you don’t need to suffer alone with these symptoms. There is help available for anyone suffering from tinnitus or related hearing conditions.

If you suffer from a slight ringing, buzzing, roaring, or clicking in the ears, contact a doctor or audiologist so you can receive a professional diagnosis. Once the source of your tinnitus is determined, treatment can be the next step. As you work with an audiologist, consider how these simple tips for managing tinnitus at home can also provide relief.