Tinnitus is a common condition, with approximately one in 10 Americans experiencing it. While it can’t always be prevented, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk of developing tinnitus.
What Is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is often described as a ringing in the ear. However, other people experience buzzing, roaring, whooshing, clicking or other similar sounds as well. It can be acute, lasting only a few days, or a person can experience chronic symptoms that last months or even years.
Tinnitus is a symptom of multiple conditions, and figuring out what the root cause is can be essential to treatment. It can also be helpful when it comes to figuring out ways to reduce your risk of developing it in the first place.
Ways To Prevent Tinnitus
- Protect your ears from loud noise. Exposure to noise levels over 85 decibels can damage the hair cells of your inner ear and cause tinnitus and hearing loss. If you engage in loud hobbies like going to rock concerts, riding motorcycles or hunting and shooting, use proper hearing protection in the form of earplugs, earmuffs or custom earmolds.
- Prevent ear infections. Tinnitus can be a symptom of ear infections. Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears. Sticking any object into your ear can actually push wax deeper into the ear canal, leading to earwax buildup and, potentially, infection. Instead, if you feel like you have too much earwax, you can consider using an at-home removal kit, or better yet, contact an ENT to perform a safe earwax removal.
- Listen to music on your headphones at a reasonable volume. If you like listening to music on your headphones while at work or exercising, just make sure you don’t have the volume up too loud. Many health apps on smartphones can track the decibels that you’re listening at. Make sure to keep it within safe levels.
- Minimize stress and anxiety. Sometimes tinnitus can begin when you’re experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety. Try to take steps to manage your stress levels by getting enough rest, engaging in relaxing activities like meditation or taking a class at The Yoga Center of Stuart.
When To See a Specialist
If you’re experiencing tinnitus that is interfering with your everyday life or making it difficult to sleep or enjoy time with friends, schedule an appointment with a specialist. While there is no one cure for tinnitus, several options can help you manage your symptoms, including:
- Acoustic therapy
- Tinnitus retraining therapy
- Hearing aids (if caused by hearing loss)
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
Additional treatment options may be recommended depending on what is causing your tinnitus. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call The Hear Care Center today.