What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is when you can hear ringing in one or both ears – sound that is not external, and others can’t hear it.
Tinnitus can be caused by a variety of factors. To name a few, it can be caused from:
– Age related hearing loss
– An ear injury
– Problem with the circulatory system.
Treatment can reduce the noise or mask it, this can help to make it less noticeable to the person experiencing it.
What are the Symptoms of Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is most commonly described as a ringing in the ears but can also cause the following symptoms:
- Buzzing
- Roaring
- Clicking
- Hissing
- Humming
- Roaring
Symptoms of Tinnitus vary from person to person. It can be present all the time or it can come and go. People who suffer with Tinnitus can sometimes struggle to focus and concentrate, and it can even reduce the amount that you can hear external sound.
What is it like for a person that lives with Tinnitus?
Tinnitus can affect the person suffering with it, in many different ways. The below points are merely a handful of how someone can be affected. It must be noted that Tinnitus can affect people in different ways, and individuals’ symptoms will be slightly different.
Sleep
Tinnitus can cause a major disruption to an individual’s sleep. Because of the constant noise, it can be hard to get to sleep. Symptoms can also worsen at night, hence making it difficult to go to sleep in the same way as someone who isn’t experiencing these symptoms. Some say that sleeping with a sound machine or with an external noise, can help to reduce the impact of the Tinnitus.
Concentration
Another way that life is affected for people is the affect Tinnitus has on concentration and focus. Due to the symptoms, it can be hard to focus on difficult tasks. Furthermore, the reduced quality of sleep causes a reduction in focus.
The Effect Tinnitus has on Mental Health
People’s mental health can be effected in lots of ways, most commonly in the form of social isolation and fatigue. The symptoms of Tinnitus can cause people to withdraw and avoid social interactions. This can be due to the difficulty of communication and hearing external sounds. It also can be because of the concern of how their Tinnitus symptoms will be in noisy environments. Fatigue is also a challenge when living with Tinnitus. Day to day tasks can be made more difficult and hence cause higher levels of fatigue.
Hearing Loss
Tinnitus and Hearing Loss can often be linked. If you have Tinnitus, you are more likely to suffer with Hearing Loss, and vice versa. Hearing loss comes with its own set of challenges, including difficulty communicating, social isolation and anxiety.
How can we help?
There are ways to reduce the impact that Tinnitus has on your life. At Hearing Choices UK, we can examine your ears with an otoscope, look for any wax build-up, treat any underlying infections, and provide advice and reassurance. There are certain types of Tinnitus which will need a more specific treatment plan, and it’s important to understand which one will be best suited to your case.
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