Tinnitus Support Groups: Building a Community

Tinnitus is characterized by a ringing, hissing or buzzing sound in your ears. Different people hear different sounds and at different volumes or severity. Some people can ignore tinnitus most of the time, while others find it distracting. It’s a common hearing symptom of an underlying condition with a variety of causes, ranging from medication, lifestyle habits, anxiety, chronic health conditions or inner ear conditions. Tinnitus can also be associated with hearing loss, but the two aren’t always linked.

If You Suspect Tinnitus

Ringing in the ears can be caused by a temporary injury or illness that causes swelling or an obstruction in your ears. Earwax buildup is a common cause of tinnitus, for example. However, if you suspect tinnitus, it’s always a good idea to get it checked out by a hearing health professional. A hearing health professional can determine whether the tinnitus is related to hearing loss. They will be able to offer advice or treatments to help you manage your tinnitus.

Tinnitus Support Groups

It can be difficult to talk to family and friends about tinnitus and how it affects your life. But you can find tinnitus support groups and join a community of people who understand tinnitus far better and can share their experiences. Tinnitus is a fairly common symptom of an underlying condition, and individuals all over the world experience it.

Support groups can help you to feel as though you’re not alone. But they also offer practical advice. Every case of tinnitus is different, and some things that work for one person may not work for another. However, it is useful to learn about potential treatments and management techniques that have worked for some people.

While a hearing health professional can provide or suggest specific treatment, part of managing tinnitus comes down to your lifestyle and training yourself to focus on other sounds and noises, so the ringing can become background noise rather than a distraction.

Treatment for Tinnitus

Depending on your circumstances, a hearing health professional will offer different treatments and suggestions. First, they will determine whether the tinnitus is affected by your lifestyle or something that is a medical condition. So, if you take medication that causes tinnitus, a medication change might be beneficial. Another option is to check for earwax build up and cut out smoking or drinking.

If your tinnitus is associated with hearing loss, which is common among older patients or people whose ears have been subjected to a lot of wear and tear, hearing aids with masking features will be beneficial for those individuals. These hearing aids are designed to help you pick up external sounds while muting or masking the tinnitus sound, allowing you to focus on what you need to hear.

Sound machines can be helpful if tinnitus interferes with your sleep, as they can drown out the ringing sound with a more soothing noise. Some people find tinnitus retraining therapy helpful, as it helps them manage their tinnitus far more effectively, reducing your awareness of tinnitus and making it easier to deal with.