You hear a lot of talk nowadays about the challenge of living with chronic ailments like high blood pressure or diabetes, but what about tinnitus? It’s a chronic illness which has a strong psychological element since it affects so many aspects of someone’s life. Tinnitus presents as ghost sounds in both ears. Most people describe the sound as hissing, clicking, buzzing, or ringing that nobody else can hear.
Tinnitus technically isn’t an illness but a symptom of an another medical issue like hearing loss and something that over 50 million people from the U.S. deal with on regular basis. The phantom sound tends to begin at the most inconvenient times, too, like when you are watching a favorite TV series, trying to read a book or listening to a friend tell a terrific story. Tinnitus can flare up even once you try to go to sleep.
Medical science has not quite pinpointed the reason so many people suffer with tinnitus or how it occurs. The accepted theory is that the mind creates this noise to balance the silence that comes with hearing loss. Regardless of the cause, tinnitus is a life-altering condition. Consider five reasons tinnitus is such a problem.
1. Tinnitus Impacts Emotional Processing
Recent research indicates that individuals who experience tinnitus also have increased activity in the limbic system of their mind. This system is the part of the brain responsible for emotions. Up until now, most doctors thought that individuals with tinnitus were stressed and that’s the reason why they were always so sensitive. This new research indicates there is far more to it than simple stress. There’s an organic component that makes those with tinnitus more irritable and emotionally fragile.
2. Tinnitus is Hard to Explain
How do you explain to someone else that you hear weird noises that they can’t hear and not feel crazy when you say it. The inability to tell others about tinnitus causes a disconnect. Even if you could tell somebody else, it is not something that they truly get unless they suffer from it for themselves. Even then, they may not have the very same signs of tinnitus as you. Support groups are usually available, but it means talking to a lot of people that you don’t know about something very personal, so it’s not an attractive option to most.
3. Tinnitus is Bothersome
Imagine trying to write a paper or study with noise in the background that you can not turn down or turn off. It’s a diversion that many find debilitating if they’re at home or just doing things around the office. The ringing changes your attention which makes it tough to remain on track. The inability to focus that comes with tinnitus is a true motivation killer, too, making you feel lethargic and worthless.
4. Tinnitus Inhibits Sleep
This could be one of the most critical side effects of tinnitus. The ringing will get worse when a sufferer is attempting to fall asleep. It is not certain why it worsens at night, but the most plausible explanation is that the silence around you makes it more noticeable. Throughout the day, other sounds ease the sound of tinnitus like the TV, but you turn off everything when it is time for bed.
Many men and women use a sound machine or a fan at night to help alleviate their tinnitus. Just that little bit of ambient sound is enough to get your brain to reduce the volume on your tinnitus and permit you to fall asleep.
5. There’s No Cure For Tinnitus
Just the idea that tinnitus is something that you must live with is hard to accept. Though no cure will shut off that noise for good, some things can be done to help you find relief. It starts at the physician’s office. Tinnitus is a symptom, and it is vital to get a correct diagnosis. By way of example, if you hear clicking, perhaps the noise is not tinnitus but a sound associated with a jaw problem such as TMJ. For some, the cause is a chronic illness that the requires treatment like hypertension.
Lots of people will discover their tinnitus is the consequence of hearing loss and dealing with that issue relieves the buzzing. Getting a hearing aid means an increase in the level of noise, so the brain can stop trying to make it to fill a void. Hearing loss may also be easy to solve, such as earwax build up. Once the doctor treats the underlying issue, the tinnitus disappears.
In extreme cases, your doctor may attempt to treat the tinnitus medically. Antidepressants may help lower the noise, for instance. The doctor may suggest lifestyle changes which should alleviate the symptoms and make living with tinnitus easier, like using a sound machine and finding ways to manage stress.
Tinnitus presents many challenges, but there is hope. Medical science is learning more every year about how the brain functions and strategies to improve life for those struggling with tinnitus.
