Sleep is one of the most important functions of the human body. It is necessary for normal functioning and the maintenance of health. During sleep, we regain the physical and mental strength needed the next day. Its lack can lead to various diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and others. In addition, sleep helps to strengthen the immune system. It helps the body to fight infections and diseases more effectively.
Deteriorating moods, irritability, and depression can be caused by sleep problems or insomnia. Therefore, it is important to monitor the quality and duration of sleep to maintain your health and improve your quality of life. Unfortunately, more and more people today are experiencing insomnia for one reason or another. The inability to get enough sleep due to constant tinnitus is one of them!
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a sound perception that has no external source. It can be permanent or temporary and may sound like noise, whistling, or buzzing. Tinnitus is a common problem. It can seriously impact a person’s quality of life.
Tinnitus symptoms may vary depending on the frequency, loudness, and duration of the sound. But they all significantly affect a person’s quality of life. What are the most common signs of the disorder? These are tinnitus. This is the most common symptom. Noise can sound like whistling, wind noise, ringing, or buzzing.
- Deterioration of hearing. In some cases, tinnitus may be accompanied by hearing impairment. There are various reasons for it, such as age-related changes, or prolonged noise exposure
- Tinnitus can cause dizziness, which can affect balance and coordination
- Ear pain. In some cases, tinnitus may be accompanied by ear pain
- Anxiety and Disturbance. Sometimes tinnitus causes anxiety and worry, especially if the sound is very loud or constant
Doctors note different causes of tinnitus. But until now, science has no clear picture of what causes this process in the body. Therefore, treatment depends primarily on the results of the diagnosis.
Tinnitus occurs in over 10% of the world’s adult population. This phantom, non-existent ringing sound can occur in one or both ears, with the same or different intensity in each ear.
Do hearing aids help against tinnitus?
Patients with tinnitus often also have hearing loss. To lead an active and happy life, they wear hearing aids every day. Can medical devices also reduce the symptoms of tinnitus?
Yes, but not all. Hearing aids reduce painful symptoms by amplifying certain sounds. However, not every device model has a sound-marking feature. Therefore, be sure to consider it when selecting hearing aids. Tell your audiologist if you have tinnitus. The doctor will consider it and select the proper model to cope with the problem. Today, hearing aids are much more affordable than they used to be. You can even buy hearing aids online!
“Hearing aids can be an effective treatment for tinnitus by providing sound stimulation to the brain and reducing the perception of the tinnitus sound.” – Dr. Richard Tyler, Audiologist and Professor at the University of Iowa
It’s important to understand that hearing aids cannot completely rid you of tinnitus. However, they can help to reduce its impact on your quality of life and sleep!
Extra techniques for better sleep!
So, tinnitus is a serious problem that affects a person’s life. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that it constantly disturbs the patient during the day and even during sleep because the ringing and noise in the ears do not go away. Every time the patient goes to sleep, it becomes an agonizing torture because of the inability to “turn off” the all-consuming ringing. As a result, chronic insomnia develops, which harms health. Are there any methods and remedies to reduce symptoms and restore healthy sleep? Yes, audiologists recommend the following for patients.
Use sound machines to sleep
A sleep sound machine is a device that generates sounds of different frequencies but with the same intensity. Used as a background, this sound has a soothing effect. It masks the ringing in your ears, making it easier to fall asleep. The built-in memory of such a machine contains a rich library of various white noises, including technical (sound of a working fan, a refrigerator) and natural (rustling of leaves, the noise of ocean surf, the rumble of the wind, etc.). It opens up a wide field for experimentation and allows you to find a sound that completely displaces the tinnitus.
However, if you are not sleeping alone, the operation of the sound machine may interfere with your other half’s sleep. Wireless headphones paired with the sound machine via Bluetooth could solve this problem.
Try meditation
Meditation is being still and concentrating on an object or phenomenon, such as a candle flame, your own breathing, or a ticking clock. Meditation is used to relax and relieve stress, and stress is one of the causes of tinnitus. Thus, meditation is ideal to combat “nocturnal” tinnitus. You can learn to associate tinnitus with relaxation rather than stress by practicing meditation regularly.
It’ll help you to tolerate it more easily. There are examples of meditation helping to get rid of tinnitus completely. But don’t expect results after the first five minutes. People take years to learn all the mysteries of meditation. The key to success is patience and regularity. It’s not a pain pill that works after twenty minutes. The result will come gradually.
Install apps to ease tinnitus
You can use a simpler remedy if acquiring a sound machine is not in your plans. Download one of the tinnitus masking apps on your smartphone. You’ll have access to inexhaustible libraries of background sounds. And if you use Bluetooth headphones or a speaker, you can get even better sound quality than a sound machine. In addition to various background sounds, quiet music, and podcasts can be used as a distraction. There are even special lectures for sleeping.
