Tinnitus is an extremely common condition of the ear. It’s one of the most common health conditions in the world with some estimates suggesting that up to 10 percent of the population experiences it at one point or another. The condition manifests as a sound in the ear that isn’t actually there, typically, it’s a buzzing or ringing, but tinnitus can manifest as other sounds also.
While the preponderance of tinnitus may be evident, the causes are often more cloudy. In part, that’s because tinnitus could result from a wide variety of causes, some of which are temporary and others that can be more permanent.
This is why environmental factors can Have a major impact on tinnitus symptoms. After all, every setting has a soundscape, and when that soundscape is loud, you could be doing damage to your ears. This environmental tinnitus might sometimes be long lasting or it might sometimes react to changes to make your environment quieter.
What is tinnitus (and why is it so common)?
Tinnitus is a condition in which you hear a noise that isn’t actually there. For most individuals, tinnitus manifests as a buzzing or ringing, but it may also present as rumbling, humming, screeching, or other noises as well. The sounds are usually rhythmic in nature. Tinnitus will usually clear itself up after a short time period. In less common cases, tinnitus could become effectively permanent, a condition known as chronic tinnitus.
There are a couple of reasons why tinnitus is so prevalent. The first is that the environmental factors that play a role in tinnitus are also fairly common (more on that in a bit). The second reason is that tinnitus is frequently a symptom of an underlying condition or injury. And there are a wide variety of conditions and injuries that can result in tinnitus. Tinnitus is quite prevalent for these reasons.
How is tinnitus affected by environmental factors?
There are a large number of factors that can contribute to tinnitus symptoms, including ototoxic chemicals and medicines. However, when the majority of individuals discuss “environment” in terms of tinnitus, they really mean the noise. Some settings, such as noisy city streets, can get very loud. Somebody would be in danger of environmental tinnitus, for instance, if they worked around loud industrial equipment.
These environmental factors can be incredibly significant when considering your hearing health.
Noise related damage, as with hearing loss, can trigger tinnitus symptoms. In these cases, the resulting tinnitus tends to be chronic in nature. Here are a few of the most prevalent noise-related causes of tinnitus:
- Traffic: You might not even realize how loud traffic can be in heavily populated places. And you may not even recognize that your ears can be damaged at lower volumes than you may expect. Long commutes or regular driving in these noisy settings can eventually lead to hearing damage, including tinnitus.
- Music: Listening to music at high volumes is a fairly common practice. Doing this on a consistent basis can often result in tinnitus symptoms.
- Noise in the workplace: It could come as a surprise that many workplaces, sometimes even offices, are pretty noisy. Whether it’s industrial equipment or gabby office neighbors, spending eight hours a day around constant workplace noise can eventually lead to tinnitus.
- Events: Tinnitus can sometimes be caused by loud noises, even if they aren’t experienced over a long time-frame. For example, attending a concert or using firearms can both lead to tinnitus if the volumes get to a loud enough level.
People often mistakenly believe damage to their ears will only occur at extreme volume levels. As a result, it’s crucial to wear hearing protection before you think you might need it. Noise associated tinnitus symptoms can frequently be avoided altogether by doing this.
If I have tinnitus, what should I do?
Will tinnitus clear up on its own? Well, in some cases it might. In other situations, your symptoms may be irreversible. There’s no way to know which is which at the outset. Moreover, just because your tinnitus has gone away for now doesn’t mean that noise damage hasn’t happened, leading to an increased risk of chronic tinnitus down the road.
One of the most main contributing factors to the development of tinnitus is that individuals tend to underestimate the volume at which damage occurs to their ears. If you experience tinnitus, your body is telling you that damage has already likely occurred. If this is the situation, finding and changing the source of the noise damage is essential to prevent additional damage.
Here are some tips you can try:
- Prevent damage by utilizing hearing protection like earplugs or earmuffs. You can also get some amount of protection from noise canceling headphones.
- If you’re in a loud environment, regulate the amount of exposure time and give your ears rests.
- Reducing the volume of your environment where possible. If you have any machinery that isn’t in use, turn it off, and close the windows if it’s noisy outside, for example.
Dealing with symptoms
The symptoms of tinnitus are often a big distraction and are really uncomfortable for the majority of individuals who deal with them. This prompts them to try and find a way to ease the severity of their symptoms.
You should contact us for an appointment if you are hearing a persistent ringing or buzzing in your ears. We will be able to evaluate your symptoms and figure out how to best address them. For the majority of cases of chronic tinnitus, there’s no cure. Symptom management may include the following:
- White noise devices: Utilizing a white noise device around your home can help you tune out your tinnitus in some instances.
- Relaxation techniques: High blood pressure has sometimes been associated with an increase in the severity of tinnitus symptoms. Your tinnitus symptoms can sometimes be alleviated by utilizing relaxation techniques like meditation, for example.
- Hearing aid: The ringing or buzzing created by tinnitus can be drowned out by amplifying the volume of external sounds with hearing aids.
- Masking device: This is a device that fits like a hearing aid and plays sounds that mask your symptoms. The exact calibration of your device will depend on your particular symptoms.
- Retraining therapy: In some cases, you can work with a specialist to retrain your ears, gradually changing the way you process sound.
Tinnitus is not curable. A great first step would be to safeguard your hearing by managing your environment.
But tinnitus can be managed and treated. We’ll be able to establish a specific treatment plan based on your hearing, your tinnitus, and your lifestyle. For some, managing your tinnitus might simply mean utilizing a white noise machine. For others, management may be more demanding.
Set up an appointment to find out how to regulate your tinnitus symptoms.