How to Explain Tinnitus to Friends and Family

Tinnitus is a common symptom of an underlying condition that causes a sound in your ears that doesn’t come from an outside source. While it’s normally associated with ringing in your ears, it can also sound like buzzing, hissing, roaring or another consistent sound. Individuals may have a lot of misconceptions about tinnitus and it can be hard to explain to friends and family. Different people also have different experiences with tinnitus, which can lead to more confusion.

Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Many individuals think that tinnitus is either a sign of hearing loss or will lead to hearing loss. While tinnitus and hearing loss can often be linked, especially if both are caused by regular exposure to loud noise or old age, you won’t necessarily lose your hearing if you have tinnitus. Tinnitus can have a variety of causes, and it can be a temporary or permanent part of your life.

The best way to determine whether your tinnitus is linked to hearing loss is to speak to a hearing health professional. They will be able to do a hearing test and see if you are also experiencing any loss of hearing.

Causes of Tinnitus

Many individuals who experience tinnitus never know what started it, but there are some known causes or circumstances that can affect it:

• Hearing loss can cause tinnitus, as can other ear conditions like earwax buildup, temporary ear infections, sinus issues and Meniere’s disease.
• Chronic conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis or some thyroid disorders can cause tinnitus.
• Anxiety or depression may cause tinnitus or affect how it impacts your life.
• Some medications can cause tinnitus as a side effect.

Tinnitus Management and Treatment

Even if the cause of your tinnitus isn’t obvious, you can still manage it effectively with the help of a hearing health professional. Lifestyle changes, such as not taking medication that causes tinnitus, as well as cutting out drinking and smoking can be helpful. A good bedtime routine certainly won’t hurt either.

Some people find a noise machine can be helpful, as it provides soft music or other background noise that distracts you from the tinnitus. Tinnitus retraining therapy can teach you how to reduce your awareness of your tinnitus, so you don’t focus on it. Focusing on tinnitus often just makes it worse.

If your tinnitus is linked with hearing loss, a hearing aid with masking features is a great way to solve both issues at once. The hearing aids are designed to mask the ringing or hissing sound, allowing you to concentrate better on external sounds.

Talking About Tinnitus

Clearing up any misconceptions and talking about how tinnitus affects your life can be a healthy way to communicate with your friends and family. Try to be open and honest with them. Your hearing health professional will also explain tinnitus to you, so you can take what they say and use it to help your friends and family understand your experiences.