Tinnitus

As I sit here in a quiet room, my ears are ringing, a loud hum that I am attempting to ignore. For me and millions of others who suffer from tinnitus, the world is never truly quiet. So, what is tinnitus? Tinnitus is defined as phantom noises that a person hears. In most cases, tinnitus is only heard by the person experiencing it but in rare cases, the tinnitus can be heard by others. The noises range from humming and buzzing to a roaring noise or even chirping sounds. Beethoven, the famous deaf composer, also suffered from tinnitus, telling friends he constantly heard the noise of crickets chirping. The effect of tinnitus can be so severe that it can make people go crazy. Tinnitus is a symptom of many ear related conditions including hearing loss due to noise exposure, ear infections, and Meniere's Disease, a condition that usually includes vertigo and hearing loss along with severe tinnitus.

For some people, tinnitus is temporary. A noisy environment, such as a night out clubbing or going to a concert, can produce it. Ear infections are often accompanied by tinnitus. In this case, the tinnitus goes away after a short time and the person goes about their normal life. But for others, tinnitus is continuous or even constant, affecting their ability to hear and understand what is going around them or affecting their sleep or even their own sanity.

Many people are desperate for relief from the noise inside their head. While there is no remedy that works across the board for everyone, various remedies have been shown to bring relief to tinnitus sufferers. Using a white noise machine or a fan can help, especially when they are in a quiet room. Oftentimes, when you are in silence, your brain fills the empty space with its own noise. This can be especially pronounced when you enter a quiet room after being in a noisy environment. The white noise can fill the "dead space" that silence brings and reduce or eliminate the tinnitus. At times when my tinnitus was especially pronounced, running water seemed to soothe it. Getting a miniature fountain may be an option for those who prefer the bubbling and gurgling noises of running water over the steady hum of a fan. If you don't live near the beach, listening to a soundtrack of the ocean surf may be effective in relieving tinnitus. Classical music may also help. Researchers are currently studying what is called "The Mozart Effect." In a study done, tinnitus sufferers found relief after listening to Mozart's "Sonata K. 448" for one hour daily for a month. Some even reported improvement after listening to the sonata for the first time. Comparatively, no such improvement was shown after listening to a sonata by Beethoven. An unusual possible remedy is placing your hands over your ears and snapping your fingers against your skull. Presumably, if you snap your fingers for 30-50 times, it will relieve the tinnitus. I have tried this and found a temporary relief of tinnitus for a few minutes. It's worth trying if you are desperate for even a few moments of relief.

Acupuncture has also shown to relieve tinnitus in some people. There is an acupuncture point directly behind the ear (around the mastoid process) that can help relieve tinnitus. If you are interested in getting acupuncture or already get acupuncture, this may be worth a try. While you could do acupressure on the meridian point, it is recommended to go to an acupuncturist first as they will know the precise spot the point is located and it may be more effective. An effective but oftentimes expensive remedy is the many tinnitus retraining systems that are out there. First developed by an audiologist in Georgia, these systems use broadband noise called pink noise that patients listen to using either CDs with headphones or hearing aids that emit the pink noise. Similarly to how you first notice the sound of raindrops on a roof but eventually block it out, the tinnitus retraining system allows your mind to eventually block out the pink noise and hopefully the tinnitus along with it. An audiologist can work with you to find the retraining system that best works for you and your budget as there are several different systems available. If you are suffering from tinnitus, it may be worthwhile to try some of these remedies and see what works for you. There may be other remedies than the ones I have described here so search and see what helps you. Here's to a quieter world for all of us.