What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus can come in many forms, but essentially it’s the sensation of hearing a sound when there is no external source for that sound. Tinnitus is unique to the person experiencing it. It can sound like ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling, whooshing – or a combination of these noises. Tinnitus can be chronic and persistent for some sufferers, whereas it can come and go for others. It is often worse during quieter surroundings and at night-time.
Is there a cure?
There isn’t a cure for tinnitus, but there are lots of things you can do to manage it and reduce the distress it may cause. It’s always a good idea to get your hearing tested by an expert, but it is rare to find the root cause of tinnitus. Don’t lose heart, there are things you can do.
What can I do if I have tinnitus?
Firstly, it helps to stay positive. Tinnitus will feed off any anxiety or stress you might feel, and it can become a vicious cycle. Remind yourself that it is physically harmless and 1 in 7 people on the planet have tinnitus. Millions of people live well with tinnitus and successfully achieve ‘habituation’. This is when you no longer perceive your tinnitus as a threat, and you learn to accept the sound as a natural part of you.
What practical help can I get?
Tinnitus UK has some very good advice, especially on their Treatments page. Two techniques that are regarded as both safe and effective are Sound Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Sound therapy is the use of background noise to distract the brain’s attention away from the tinnitus and onto a more ‘friendly’ sound. Tinnitus UK has independently reviewed a new wearable device which is great for musicians, from a British company called TinniSoothe.
HyperTribe and TinniSoothe recently announced a strategic partnership to support musicians who live with persistent tinnitus. TinniSoothe retails at £365 on their web Shop, but, you can buy one for £292 by using our exclusive 20% discount code HYPERTRIBE20 at checkout. They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee in case it doesn’t provide relief.
Mindfulness techniques can also help with tinnitus. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) aims to changes a person’s pattern of behaviour or thinking about their tinnitus, to reduce its distress and intrusiveness. There is a good CBT programme for tinnitus from Oto, who offers a 7-day free trial.