Tinnitus is experienced by millions, but there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the ringing sound in your ear. Understanding tinnitus can help you take control of your condition and seek help.
Below are the most common tinnitus myths.
Tinnitus Is a Disease
False. Tinnitus is a symptom of a number of underlying medical conditions rather than a disease itself. Common causes of tinnitus include traumatic brain injury, loud noises, neurological damage, vascular disease and reaction from taking certain medications.
Determining the disorder causing your tinnitus is crucial for your Arizona audiologist when putting together your individualized treatment plan.
A Change in Diet Can Cure Tinnitus
While alcohol, sodium and caffeine can make your tinnitus worse, they are likely not the primary cause of your symptoms. Since there are additional benefits to maintaining a balanced diet and living a healthy lifestyle, taking proper care of yourself is always a good idea. In fact, many tinnitus management strategies include dietary and lifestyle changes. But it is important to note they cannot cure the ringing.
Hearing Loss and Tinnitus are Unrelated
Nearly 90 percent of people with tinnitus also have hearing loss. Tinnitus occurs when the tiny hair cells within the inner are damaged. This is also a common cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
Just because hearing loss and tinnitus are so closely related does not mean you will necessarily experience both. If you experience tinnitus, we recommend keeping on top of your hearing. Seeing an audiologist for hearing assessments is a good way to ensure if you begin to experience hearing loss, you’ll be able to catch it early.
Hearing Aids Won’t Help Tinnitus
Hearing aids are able to help mask the sounds of tinnitus by amplifying external noises. This is often part of sound therapy, a common treatment for tinnitus.
Additional tinnitus management techniques include meditation, stress management and utilizing white noise.
Tinnitus Is No Big Deal
While some may experience only sporadic episodes of a quiet ringing in the ear, many endure severe and chronic bouts of tinnitus that can affect their quality of life.
If you are experiencing tinnitus that is interfering with your daily life, now is the time to seek treatment. Contact the experts at Arizona Desert ENT Specialists to get started today.
