Effects of tinnitus.
Keeping the symptom under control.
The extent to which tinnitus affects a person’s life depends on various factors: on the volume, frequency and duration of the noise, and on the person’s individual perception of it. Tinnitus itself is not regarded as an illness but as a symptom, similar to pain. In contrast to an illness where the goal is to cure the cause, one can often only treat tinnitus as a condition. It’s mainly a question of controlling the noise in the ear. Even if tinnitus isn't an illness in itself, it can assume the proportions of one. When excessive, the strain caused by tinnitus may cause sleeping problems, fear and depression.
How to control tinnitus
The noise of tinnitus is quickly perceived as a nuisance, and you tend to listen for it against your will. The enemy in your ear’ is an apt description – because it is truly the beginning of a vicious circle. Initially, you might try to shun social contact in an attempt to rest. But this withdrawal also limits auditory experiences, social contact, and other forms of distraction. Tinnitus then attracts more attention. In turn, a growing feeling of despair at being unable to do anything about the noise, coupled with the fear that it might get worse, ensures that the brain focuses awareness on the tinnitus. This is the cycle that needs to be stopped. You have to push tinnitus out of the limelight – and win control over it.
