Tinnitus: It does get better

Tinnitus can come on suddenly, or creep up gradually over time. An estimated 10–20% of people in Australia experience tinnitus. In fact, one study found that 95% of people with normal hearing heard ‘tinnitus’ after being left in a quiet room! Dr Annemarie Lindner AuD share expert advice on how to address this common symptom.

Tinnitus and stress

The extent of the difficulties people experience with tinnitus varies from person to person. One thing that may help explain these differences is the level of stress you are under. If you have a high level of stress there is a greater chance that you will be troubled by your tinnitus.

Do’s

• See an ENT specialist in order to assess and treat the underlying cause of your tinnitus

• Wear hearing protection. Exposure to loud noise can damage your ears and cause tinnitus.

• Minimise your stress levels. Stress and anxiety are known to exacerbate tinnitus. Practicing good self-care by doing things like meditating, getting enough exercise and sleep, and speaking with a counsellor can help you keep your stress levels down and reduce your symptoms.

• If your tinnitus impacts on your mood or your day-to-day activities, then seek help from a specialist audiologist for therapy.

Don’ts

• Don’t avoid getting help. If tinnitus is interfering with your daily life or preventing you from taking part in normal activities, it’s important to seek help and find ways to improve your quality of life.

• Don’t believe the myths. Tinnitus is commonly misunderstood. Some people are concerned that tinnitus is a disease and can lead to further consequences such as hearing loss. Other people may believe that tinnitus is harmless and “all in your head” and should just be ignored. Neither belief is true.

It does get better, I promise!

Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, one that changes over time in response to many factors, including our health. Working with your audiologist you can slowly understand the things that make your tinnitus better, or worse, as you work towards management. The more we understand our tinnitus, the more we can regain control and actively work towards reducing its impact on our life.

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