Living a Normal Life with Tinnitus

Tinnitus is one of the most common medical conditions in the world, with an estimated 15% of the North American public experiencing it at some point in their lives. While it is ubiquitous in modern society, audiologists work hard to find solutions to it, and a lot of people are aware of it, tinnitus can still make it hard to live a normal life. Characterized as the perception of ringing, buzzing or other noises in the ears, this condition covers a lot of different ear problems. Some people will hear their heartbeat, while others will experience a constant ringing sound, and there are plenty of other ways that tinnitus can affect a person. With your ears playing such a large role in your daily life, is it possible to live a normal life with tinnitus? We’re going to be answering this question.

The problems tinnitus can cause

With so many people living with tinnitus, it makes sense that the problems this condition can cause are well-documented. It can be easy to assume that it isn’t a challenge to live with something like this, though, despite the numerous problems it can cause. We’ve gathered some of the difficulties which can come with tinnitus to give you an idea of what it’s like trying to live a normal life with a condition like this.

• Sleep: Sleep is crucial to your health and wellbeing, but trying to get yourself there when you’re experiencing tinnitus can be near impossible. You can’t simply stop focusing on the sound, as it will become far more prominent when you’re in a quiet environment.
• Entertainment: Listening to music, watching television and tuning into the radio can all be made harder by tinnitus.
• Communication: Communication is vital at work, home and when you’re socializing with friends, but it will be hard to hear what people are saying if you have an extreme case of tinnitus.
• Concentration: Focusing on a task is difficult when you have noise around you, and those experiencing tinnitus will almost always have to deal with this.

As you can see, tinnitus can turn your life upside down. Many of those experiencing tinnitus won’t have to deal with all of these issues, though there are some who will find all of them hard, and this can make it incredibly difficult to live a normal life.

How tinnitus is treated

Thankfully, audiologists around the world have spent a lot of time working to find solutions to the problem of tinnitus. With so many different types of tinnitus, not all of these treatments will apply to everyone, and your audiologist will have to choose one which will work for you. You can find some examples of the most common treatment options below.

• Earwax Removal: Some people have a lot more earwax than others. While this substance keeps your ears healthy, it can also cause problems like hearing loss and tinnitus. Having your earwax removed can lessen or solve your tinnitus, and the procedure doesn’t take long at all.
• Sound therapy: Sound therapy involves using other sounds, like white noise, to help you to tune out and block the sound of your tinnitus. This is only a temporary solution but can be very helpful when an audiologist can’t find the cause of your condition.
• Hearing aids with masking features: Hearing aids are always getting more complex, and the modern features which these devices boast are almost inconceivable. Many of today’s hearing aids can mask the sound of your tinnitus, providing you with relief, while also ensuring that issues like hearing loss are also under control.
• Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT): Your brain already picks up a lot of sounds, which it deliberately ignores. The sound of your breathing, heartbeat and bones moving are all examples of this, and you can train your brain to block out the tinnitus, too. This provides a long-lasting solution for a lot of patients.

Treatments like these make it much easier to live with tinnitus, even in very extreme cases. Sound therapy, TRT, and earwax removal are all excellent, though a hearing aid will often be the very best option for those looking for a long-term solution. Here at Quality Hearing Aid Center, we have a vast range of different hearing aids and can help you to choose the perfect fit for your ears and their unique problems. You can get in touch with our friendly team at (248) 430-8791, and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment, offer advice, and provide you with the support you need in a way that is convenient for you.