DOES TINNITUS GO AWAY?

Tinnitus is the medical name used to describe a condition where there is a perception of noise being heard in one or both ears or inside the head. In fact this noise is internal and does not come from outside the body. It cannot be heard by others.

The good news is that for a high percentage of sufferers your tinnitus will be classed as short term or temporary, although there is no way of knowing how short or long this period will be. For those who are suffering from acute short term tinnitus and the 1 in 100 who have long term or chronic tinnitus there are a number of techniques and therapies you can explore to get rid of and manage your day to day symptoms. So don't despair! Read on.

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The symptoms are the same for both short term (temporary) and long term (chronic) tinnitus. Different people experience different sounds which may include some or all of the following:

Ringing
Buzzing
Whistling
Humming
Whooshing noises
More rarely, music
Hearing loss

Some people feel that these sounds beat in time to the rhythm of their own pulse

A cold - the tinnitus usually disappears once the cold clears up.
A bang to the head - the duration of symptoms will vary from person to person.
Prolonged exposure to loud music An example of this would be a music or rock concert, again the duration of symptoms will vary.
An untreated or chronic ear infection, which is easily treated with antibiotics - consult with your Doctor.
A build up of wax which can be removed - consult with your Doctor.

The cause of long term tinnitus is not known and treatment is very much aimed at managing day to day symptoms.

Listening to music is a recognised way to distract yourself from the noises in your head - at night time it can help you go to sleep.

Sound Therapy can help to re-train your brain in deciding which noises it takes notice of and which it doesn't. Because stress and tiredness can make the tinnitus more pronounced, it is important to stay as calm and relaxed as possible.

Relaxation Therapy, Yoga and regular exercise can all help you to get and stay relaxed.

Because your success in coping and living with your tinnitus can often be measured by your own approach and mind set, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be very helpful. CBT teaches you how to question and change the way you think about things and the way in which you respond to and deal with all sorts of problems and issues in your life, including how you deal with illness.

Machines and devices which create white/pink noise and shushing and masking sounds are available and are typically used at night or in quiet times to mask the tinnitus noises in your head and ears. Many people find these effective.

There are many natural remedies availabe that claim to help reduce symptoms and excellent self help books which can give you ideas and techniques to reduce and manage your Tinnitus.

Tinnitus is one of those conditions where different approaches suit different people and what works for one doesn't work for another and vice versa. I suggest you explore anything that seems to make sense to you. There will be some part of an approach or method that can be helpful to you and will make a big difference to your quality of life. Many Tinnitus sufferers successfully use a combination of approaches and techniques to deal with their condition.

Inaction aggravates the spiral of stress and anxiety that inevitably accompanies tinnitus and so the important thing is to take action now, to find the solution to your particular type of tinnitus.

I hope that you have found this article informative and helpful.

I am trying to give my readers the information they need and want about Tinnitus. Could you spare a couple of minutes to take my short survey and help me understand what it is that people with tinnitus really want to know about (and what they don't).

Thank you in anticipation of your help.

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