Tinnitus is a hearing condition that can be caused by a variety of different things. If it’s a condition that you think you’re living with, you probably want to find out a little more about it and that’s precisely what we’re going to talk about today. There’s a lot of misunderstanding and misconceptions when it comes to discussions around tinnitus. The information we’re about to discuss will tell you what you need to know and dispel some of the myths associated with it.

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is a sound that you hear in your inner ear and it has no obvious source. No one else can hear what you’re hearing because it’s coming from internally rather than from an action sound source. It can be experienced as a hissing or buzzing noise and is often constant and hard to ignore for many people. This is how it can lead to stress, insomnia and other health issues if it doesn’t go properly treated.

Does It Vary from Person to Person?

One thing that marks out tinnitus from other conditions is the way in which the symptoms vary massively from person to person. The sound in the inner ear can be a ringing, buzzing or humming sound, as well as many other different sounds depending on the individual. So, although two people could both be experiencing tinnitus, they might experience the symptoms of the condition very differently to one another, including in terms of severity.

What Can Be Done to Treat It?

There’s a wide range of treatments that can be used to help people living with tinnitus. For some people, hearing aids can be very useful, especially those with masking features that help to hide the persistent sound heard in the inner ear. Sound machines can perform a similar function but externally. And other people benefit greatly from tinnitus retraining therapy, which aims to take the mind’s focus away from the symptoms of the tinnitus. Removing earwax and making medication changes can help for some people too. Different treatments work for different people.

How Can It Be Prevented?

As well as treating tinnitus, it’s also important to talk about how tinnitus might be prevented in the first place. For many people, the task of getting rid of tinnitus is challenging, and if you can avoid the problem developing in the first place, that’s something that’s always preferable. Avoiding exposure to loud noises and using the right hearing protection are two things that are very important indeed. Loud noises, especially when exposed to consistently over a period, can be one of the major and most common causes of tinnitus, and should therefore be avoided. Tinnitus can be a very frustrating condition to deal with, but don’t despair if you’re showing the signs of tinnitus. The best thing to do is consult a hearing health professional and talk to them about the options open to you. As we’ve discussed above, there are treatment options available.