This article will give you an overview of the condition called Tinnitus, otherwise known as a case of ringing in the ears.First and foremost, you must know that Tinnitus is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In America alone, 50 Million people report having a ringing in their ears every year. Thankfully, only about 1 or 2 million of those people experience Tinnitus, which is bad enough for their quality of life to suffer. If you have Tinnitus and want to learn more about it, this Mayo Clinic Tinnitus article is a good place to start off your research.
Is Tinnitus permanent?
Your first question is probably if Tinnitus is permanent or a temporary condition. The good news is that Tinnitus is often a temporary condition. Most people experience Tinnitus after exposing their ears to loud noises, typically sounds over 85 dB. In such cases, the ears ring for a few hours or even up to a couple of days after exposure. Then, people experience a lessening of their Tinnitus symptoms in the form of these signs that Tinnitus is going away, before the ringing fully stops. But, one must know that it doesn’t necessarily mean that one will not get Tinnitus again, even if it goes away for many weeks, months or even years at a time. Tinnitus is a condition that is known to recur in one’s life. This is why one should take all the precaution they can to protect their ears against loud noise, to prevent the possibility of a Tinnitus recurrence.
Is there a cure for Tinnitus?
Tinnitus does not have an FDA approved cure. However, there are ways to try remedies and most importantly protect your ears against whatever caused Tinnitus in the first place. For example, as mentioned before, loud noise is the number 1 reason behind trigger induced Tinnitus. In such cases, wearing ear plugs or staying away from noisy environments can prevent Tinnitus.
Similarly, different causes call for different precautionary measures. For example, if Tinnitus is caused by ototoxic medications or medications that can harm the ears, avoiding or even reducing the dosage of such medicines can provide Tinnitus relief. For many, lifestyle changes such as adopting a healthy diet and exercise can help ease their Tinnitus. Alcohol and smoking are also known Tinnitus triggers or spike catalysts.
So what is the first thing you must do when you get Tinnitus? See a doctor. More specifically, see an audiologist. It is estimated that 90% of Tinnitus patients also have hearing loss, even if such hearing loss is partial. When one has hearing loss, wearing hearing aids can potentially provide Tinnitus relief. This happens because restored hearing can allow the brain to turn off its overstimulated phase that it got into after trying to invent noises to compensate for your hearing loss.
An audiologist will put you through a barrage of tests to try to diagnose your Tinnitus condition. But, it is a critical step that will help you help you fight the battle against Tinnitus.
