One out of five people hear a persistent ringing sound in the ear. The bothersome problem, known as tinnitus, is neither a disease nor a condition. It is a symptom of an underlying disorder of the inner ear or the auditory nerves. Whatever be the cause of tinnitus, you can make the sound less noticeable in different ways.
Earwax removal
Excess earwax buildup in the ear may worsen your tinnitus. While the waxy substance, known as cerumen, is necessary for protecting the delicate eardrum from dirt and microbes, too much earwax is bad for the health of the ear. If the rate of cerumen production is greater than the speed at which cerumen is drained from the ear canal naturally, the excess earwax accumulating in the ear canal hardens and obstructs the passage of sound waves through the ear canal. By blocking a part of the environmental sound, earwax exacerbates tinnitus. Hence, cleaning the excess earwax can help you to deal with tinnitus. Although you may come across a wide range of home remedies for earwax removal, it is always advisable to seek professional help to avoid any damage to the eardrum.
Take supplements
To get rid of the irritating ringing sound or to reduce the volume and intensity of the sound, you can take niacin or vitamin B3. Niacin supports relaxation of the smooth muscles, thereby increasing blood flow in the small blood vessels present in the inner ear, which may benefit people suffering from tinnitus.
In some cases, zinc deficiency is believed to induce tinnitus. If you are suffering from zinc deficiency as well as tinnitus, zinc supplements may protect you from this bothersome problem.
Quit smoking, limit caffeine and salt
Smoking may aggravate tinnitus. Smoking is linked to narrowing of the blood vessels throughout the body. In the ear, narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the inner ear impedes blood flow to the sensory cells, increasing the severity of tinnitus. Avoiding tobacco smoke may reverse the changes in the blood vessels and improve circulating of oxygenated blood in the ear.
Drinking too much coffee can slow down blood circulation. This might exacerbate tinnitus. Limiting caffeine consumption can alleviate tinnitus. Besides coffee, caffeine is also present in tea, chocolate and colas.
A salty diet increases the blood pressure. Rise in the blood pressure, reduces blood flow throughout the body. In the ear, reduction in blood flow to the sensory cells increases the intensity of tinnitus. Therefore, a low salt diet can provide relief from tinnitus.
Enjoy sound sleep and reduce stress
Tinnitus seems to worsen with poor sleep. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, is believed to play a role in healing tinnitus. A sound sleep can save you from the irritating sound in the ears.
Stop worrying about tinnitus. Stress will only worsen it. Try to stay calm. Donât hesitate to seek professional help to deal with stress. Participate in activities that help you to shift your mind from the perception of the ringing sound in your ears to a productive or entertaining activity. Try relaxation therapy. This will also help you to enjoy a peaceful sleep, which may reduce the severity of tinnitus.
Although hypnotherapy may not affect tinnitus directly, by aiding relaxation, it can reduce stress linked to severe tinnitus. Besides acting as a stress buster, hypnotherapy will help you to live with tinnitus without worrying excessively about it. A hypnotherapist may train you to focus your mind away from tinnitus, thereby helping you to become habituated to the ringing sound in the ear.
Through cognitive behavioral therapy, you can overcome the underlying fear of tinnitus. It will help you to manage stress and become accustomed to tinnitus. The quality of your life will improve significantly once you stop associating any negative emotion with the ringing sound in the ear.
Stay away from loud sound and enjoy soft music
The severity of tinnitus may increase when you are exposed to loud sound. Protecting the ears from noises with earplugs and earmuffs can provide some relief from the bothersome noise.
The irritating noise ringing in your ear can be masked with a soothing sound. To distract your mind from the constant ringing sound, play the radio or the music system softly. Even the sound of the fan, the ocean surf or the rain can cover your tinnitus. However, remember that only a soothing sound played at low volume can effectively mask your tinnitus, whereas a loud music, blaring from the headphone, will worsen your condition.
Wearing a hearing aid can reduce the severity of tinnitus by reducing the strain of hearing. Hearing problem is common in people suffering from tinnitus, which can be resolved with hearing aids.
