What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the feeling of extra sound in the ear. Patients with tinnitus often describe it as continuous or intermittent buzzing, whistling, chirping, or hissing sounds. Some patients may hear other sounds like whoosh, buzzing, etc. in their ears. Tinnitus can affect one or both ears.

The sounds heard in the ear can range from slow to very loud, and their pitch and volume can be either constant or variable. Disturbances from noise are felt more when the patient is trying to sleep or work in a quiet environment where there are fewer background sounds. Conversely, some patients become hypersensitive to sound, which is called hyperacusis.

How can you prevent tinnitus?

1. Quit Smoking

Smoking is injurious to health. It is even more dangerous for tinnitus patients. Smoking constricts the blood vessels leading to the sensitive auditory nerve cells that aid in hearing and stimulate our body. This increases the level of sounds in the ears greatly.

2. Play light music

If tinnitus is bothering you a lot, playing light music in the background helps a lot. This allows you to focus on your daily activities without focusing on tinnitus.

3. Avoid Triggers

Many patients find their tinnitus worsening after consuming certain foods, beverages, and medicines. So to avoid bothering yourself with the sound you hear in your ears, it is best to always avoid such triggers.

4. Defend Your Ears

If you are in a noisy place or doing any work that produces noise (using power drill machines, working in factories, or using noisy vacuum cleaners) do not forget to cover your ears or use earplugs.

 5. Do Exercise

Exercise can have a big impact on your well-being. Tinnitus can be aggravated by: stress, depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, illness, etc. Exercise helps them to control and prevent tinnitus.

6. Take Supplements

There are numerous nutritional supplements on the market that claim to be tinnitus treatments. These are typically a combination of herbs and vitamins, with zinc, ginkgo, and vitamin B-12.

7. Go for Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people with tinnitus learn to live with the condition. Rather than reducing the sound, CBT teaches you to accept it.

Tinnitus treatment frequently entails a combination of methods. As part of your treatment, your doctor may advise you to take medication. These medications may help to alleviate your tinnitus symptoms, thereby improving your quality of life.

Book your appointment with the best ENT in Gurgaon Dr. Manish Prakash at the Mayom Hospital. He is a well-known ENT surgeon who is providing treatment with specialized medical equipment to diagnose the root cause of the disease.