Living with tinnitus: an online guide

Tinnitus is a hearing condition that can cause considerable frustration, confusion and irritation. It is characterised by a ringing, roaring or hissing noise in the ears that can’t be traced back to an external cause. This can be very disconcerting and disruptive for the sufferer.

Typically, tinnitus varies in intensity and can be intermittent or permanent. It can also be affected by a number of factors, including stimuli such as drinking wine or exercising. Find out more about tinnitus, such as its causes and some ways to manage the condition, with the help of some excellent online resources.

The facts about tinnitus

Tinnitus is not a disease, but it is a condition that can have a big impact on the lives of its sufferers. For a good description of tinnitus, including symptoms, causes and potential treatments, have a look at the information available from the NHS. While tinnitus is a problem that can strike at any age, it is often associated with growing older and can be caused by the natural aging process as well as a number of other factors.

There are two types of tinnitus, objective and subjective. Objective tinnitus is much less common and is characterised by noises that can be heard by someone examining the patient as well as the patient themselves. These noises are caused by muscle spasms or abnormal blood vessels. In some cases, there may be a surgical cure for this variance of the condition.

Subjective tinnitus can only be heard by the patient and is often caused by injury to the tiny hair cells of the cochlea, this damage can be caused by certain drugs, exposure to loud noises and the aging process. Learn more about the different types of tinnitus with this guide from the American Tinnitus Association.

Learning to live with tinnitus

While there is no simple cure-all for tinnitus, there are a number of ways that its effects can be lessened and the condition improved. At Action Hearing Loss, you’ll find an excellent series of resources that can help you cope with tinnitus, including a guide to the variety of treatments on offer and also hints and tips for managing the condition. The British Tinnitus Association has also put together an extremely useful collection of tinnitus support resources, including forums where you can talk to other sufferers and a list of reliable sources of information and publications.

Another very useful resource is this list of common tinnitus myths, collected by the team at Hearing Link. There is a lot of misinformation about tinnitus available and this list attempts to dispel some of the more spurious claims. For example, many people believe that caffeine can adversely affect the condition but this is not the case.

There is a whole host of support and services available for you both online and through your local doctor. If you’re having problems with tinnitus, reach out for help, support and access to potential treatments.

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