Tinnitus is a confusing and mysterious topic to many people. You might have heard of it, but you might not yet have a full understanding of what it means to live with the problem and how it can be treated or prevented. We’re going to talk about all of that and more and provide you with a clear and comprehensive guide to tinnitus. So if you don’t know much about it, the guide below is the place to start.

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is not actually a disease in itself, and there’s no silver bullet cure for it. It’s essentially a set of symptoms that might be caused by a variety of things that we’ll discuss later in this guide. Tinnitus can be temporary or it can be a long-term problem that persists indefinitely. The symptoms most commonly associated with tinnitus are a ringing sound in the inner ear or other sounds that are not coming from any external source. It can be loud or quiet, high or low pitched. Symptoms vary from person to person.

What Usually Causes It?

There’s a range of different things that might be behind the tinnitus problems you’ve experienced up to now. It might be the case that you were exposed to a loud noise. It can cause temporary hearing loss or a more long-term effect if you’re exposed to these sounds over a longer period of time. Some people experience tinnitus as a symptom of wider problems with hearing loss or as a result of other health issues in the brain or auditory system. It’s also the case that many people experience tinnitus because of earwax buildup or particular medications.

How Can it Be Prevented?

There are many things that can be done to prevent hearing loss properly. First of all, you should protect your hearing carefully going forward. That might mean covering your ears and using earplugs in situations where you might be exposed to loud noises. You should also make sure that you get your hearing and hearing health checked regularly. That way, you can pick up on problems as soon as they arise and get the help and treatment you might need.

Which Treatments Work Best?

There’s a range of treatment options open to people who are experiencing tinnitus. What works best will usually depend on the individual as people respond differently to different treatment options, depending on a variety of factors. Generally speaking, hearing aids are the most common treatment used for people who are going through tinnitus, especially if they come with masking features. White noise machines, lifestyle changes and changes to medication are also sometimes recommended to people. It’s important to take your tinnitus symptoms seriously. So, if you think that you have a problem and you want to make sure that it’s dealt with in the best way possible, you should talk to your audiologist and let them provide you with the help you need. There’s no need to suffer in silence with your symptoms.