Taking on tinnitus

While often described as a ringing in the ear, tinnitus can take many forms - from buzzing, humming or clicking to a hissing or whistling.

Noise-induced hearing loss is the most common cause of tinnitus. Exposure to loud noise for extended periods of time can damage the hair cells of the inner ear, leading to reduced hearing (cue the slideshow of headbanging rockstars running through your mind). Regardless of where the noise exposure and resulting damage came from, tinnitus is your brain's adaptive reaction of "making up for" the noises it's no longer getting from the outside world. In short: your brain is creating noise to fill the silence.

Other causes of tinnitus include:

There are two main types of tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus, the most common type, can only be heard by you. In rare cases, about 1%, an outside observer (like a doctor with a stethoscope) can hear the sound, which can be produced by your body's circulatory and semiotic systems. This is objective tinnitus and is usually linked to other vascular disorders.

It may not be possible to completely remove the risk of developing tinnitus, but there are certain triggers that contribute to the development or worsening of tinnitus.

While research is being done to understand and better treat tinnitus, there is currently no cure. If you are experiencing the rare form of objective tinnitus, treating the underlying medical conditions may lead to reduction of or complete recovery from tinnitus symptoms.

With this therapy, the goal is to learn to "ignore" the tinnitus you are experiencing. A combination of directive counseling and sound marking (sound generated to mask other unwanted sounds) can help train the brain to notice tinnitus less. This can reduce stress, anxiety and other psychological effects of tinnitus. Lasting between 12 to 24 months, TRT has seen high levels of success.

Although some causes of tinnitus may not be preventable, there are ways to reduce risks of developing tinnitus symptoms or, if you're living with tinnitus, to prevent it from worsening.

Exercise and practice relaxation. Both can reduce your stress levels and boost your overall well-being, all of which can reduce tinnitus symptoms.

Background noise and music at a lower volume can help to mask tinnitus, making it less noticeable.

Some foods or drinks may worsen tinnitus symptoms. Keep an eye on what you eat and track changes in your symptoms.

Improving your hearing health and increasing the sound your ears perceive can provide a balance, masking the sound of your tinnitus and reducing its noticeability.

Explore your options on how to deal with tinnitus.

If your tinnitus is mild or intermittent, you may be able to live just fine with the occasional symptoms. However, if your tinnitus is constant and you are finding it hard to concentrate and relax in your everyday life, untreated tinnitus can be dangerous. Constant focus on your tinnitus can lead to fatigue, anxiety, depression and isolation from your social groups. Finding ways to manage and lessen the noticeability of your tinnitus can greatly increase your quality of life.