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Tinnitus management strategies

Posted On: July 21, 2022

Although there is no cure for tinnitus, it can be managed well with various management strategies. Adapting to your tinnitus awareness can take a period of time, but most people are able to adapt and achieve habituation in time.

  • The use of hearing aids- If there is a hearing loss present, the use of hearing aids often can reduce tinnitus awareness. The hearing aids work by amplifying external sounds that are usually missed due to the hearing loss. This helps “mask” the tinnitus and divert your attention away from it, and instead focus on environmental sounds.
  • Sound enrichment-  Often tinnitus is heard in quiet environments. It is useful to introduce another noise (eg. white noise or fan noise) to help drown out the tinnitus and keep you distracted. Often music without lyrics works best. There are many free smartphone tinnitus Apps (for example: GN Resound Relief, ZEN Tinnitus and Starkey Relax) that can be used to customise your own soundtrack.
  • Stress management- Increased stress levels can significantly increase one’s tinnitus awareness. It is important to reduce sources of stress and use relaxing techniques (such as meditating) to help calm the mind.
  • Sleep management- Increased fatigue can also increase tinnitus severity of ones tinnitus. It is very important to get adequate sleep each and every night and maintain a regular sleeping pattern.
  • Medication- Certain medications can cause or trigger tinnitus awareness. It is best seeking medical advice from your general practitioner regarding any medication that you may be taking.
  • Diet- It is important to have a well-balanced diet that includes reduced salt intake. Low salt is considered to be less than 120mg/100g. Research has shown that increased salt in the diet can aggravate tinnitus awareness.
  • Exercise- Regular exercise is beneficial to help keep your body and mind healthy and happy. In turn it can also help reduce fatigue levels and improve sleeping patterns.
  • Stimulants- Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine are all known stimulants that exacerbate tinnitus awareness. It is important to know that this may vary from individual to individual. You can start by trying to reduce caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening.

It is important to start your tinnitus treatment with a consultation with our experienced audiologists to assess your hearing and tinnitus further. We will work closely with you to provide you with a tinnitus treatment plan that works well for you.