Tinnitus information
Tinnitus is the perception of hearing a noise when there is no external source. It is extremely common, affecting around 6 million people in the UK or 1 in 7 people. About 10% of people will have persistent tinnitus. Tinnitus is not a disease and is not usually a sign of something serious. Some people hardly notice it, but others find it upsetting. Tinnitus can affect anyone at any time.
Tinnitus can be described as a whooshing, whirring, buzzing, ringing or whining, and is often a mix of sounds. Sometimes it can be connected with the heartbeat and sometimes people describe hearing music. It can be there all the time or it can come and go. Tinnitus can be heard in the one ear, both ears, or sometimes it can be in the head.
If tinnitus is something new to you and is bothering you, speak to your GP who can refer you to see a tinnitus specialist.
Tinnitus and hearing loss
Hearing loss is a common factor behind tinnitus. Many people wrongly assume that it is their tinnitus, rather than their hearing loss, that is causing hearing difficulties. The aim of fitting a hearing aid is to correct any hearing loss, with the possibility that this may reduce awareness of the tinnitus with time.
Tinnitus and mood
Most people hardly notice their tinnitus, but for some, it can be more problematic and it can disrupt their quality of lives. How you think about your tinnitus can influence your emotional reactions. The brain may interpret the sound of tinnitus as something harmful to your well being. When you respond to tinnitus as a threat, you become stressed and anxious.
Tinnitus and Relaxation
It can be common to feel worried when you first experience tinnitus. Relaxing may help to reduce your stress, making your tinnitus less noticeable. There are a number or relaxation techniques that you can try. Common forms of relaxation are deep or Mindful breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or visualisation/imagery. When we relax, it reduces stress arousal levels in the body which is why we feel physically and mentally refreshed after relaxing. You’ll get most benefit if you practice relaxation techniques regularly, as part of your daily routine.
You may find that you prefer one type of relaxation over another. Various relaxation activates can be found on the Tinnitus Uk Website
Prevention
In many cases, tinnitus is a result of something that can’t be prevented. However, some precautions can help prevent certain kinds of tinnitus.
- Use ear protection – Over time, exposure to loud sounds can damage the nerves in the ears, causing hearing loss and tinnitus. If you use chain saws, are a musician, work in an industry that uses loud machinery or firearms (especially pistols or shotguns), always wear over-the-ear hearing protection.
- Turn down the volume – Long term exposure to amplified music with no ear protection or listening to music at very high volume through headphones can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Take care of your cardiovascular health -Regular exercise, eating right and taking other steps to keep your blood vessels healthy can help prevent tinnitus linked to blood vessel disorders.
Other useful information
Hearing Therapy
Hearing therapy is a service specifically for patients who require additional support with problems such as:
- bothersome tinnitus
- hearing loss
- problems with sensitivity to noise
- auditory training advise
- balance problems
- other auditory processing difficulties
Our hearing therapist can help you find ways of coping with your difficulties. Many of these strategies involve a counselling-based approach.
Some of the services offered may include: management of tinnitus, sound therapy and listening tactics. New patients are referred by their GP to Audiology or they can refer directly to Hearing Therapy where appropriate.
