Coping with Tinnitus: An Overview

Stress is a natural response to many of life’s experiences. And for many people, tinnitus can be disruptive and stress-inducing. It is very helpful for individuals with tinnitus to learn how to reduce the negative effects of stress, like agitation, depression, insomnia, and learn how to cope with the sounds. Examine how you live to find ways to eliminate or reduce some stress in different parts of your life; as stress and tinnitus often go hand-in-hand.

Stress-Reducing Therapies* That Can Help You Cope

Cognitive therapy is a type of counseling that is based on treating one’s emotional reaction to tinnitus rather than the tinnitus itself. To accomplish this desired change in perception, a counselor will help the patient identify negative behaviors and thought patterns, then alter them. Counseling programs are individually designed for patients and are most effective when coupled with other tinnitus treatments.

Biofeedback is a relaxation technique that teaches people to control certain body functions, such as pulse and brainwave activity. The goal of biofeedback is to help people effectively cope with stressful situations by reducing the body’s physical reaction to it. Biofeedback instruments have electrodes that attach to the forehead and neck to measure skin temperature, muscle contractions, and heart rate. These measurements are electrically converted into either blinking lights or audible beeps so patients can “see” or “hear” their heart rate, temperature, etc. Patients are taught to relax while they are connected to the biofeedback device. When they are successful at relaxing, they will hear slower beeps or see less frequent blinking lights from the device. Eventually, patients learn to control their physical tension without using the device.

Hypnosis is a procedure in which a hypnotist suggests changes in thoughts, feelings, perceptions or behavior to the person being hypnotized. The goal is to create an external focus — such as thinking about a relaxing scene — to redirect the patient’s attention away from the tinnitus. Tinnitus patients benefit greatly from the deep relaxation afforded by one-on-one hypnosis or self-hypnosis sessions.

More Stress-Reduction Tips

The key to living with tinnitus is to remove it from immediate attention. The following stress control suggestions can help you do just that. Note: These tips are presented alphabetically, not in recommended order.

Breathe: Deep, abdominal breathing is a natural relaxant. To breathe abdominally, lead with your waist as you breathe in. Breathe in through the nose to the count of eight, slowly filling the diaphragm. Hold for the count of four, and then exhale slowly through the mouth to the count of eight. Repeat this cycle five times.

Exercise: Exercise regularly. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, “One of the benefits of regular aerobic exercise is its moderating effect on emotions. This is a long-term benefit, but aerobic and non-aerobic exercise can also work in acute situations as a symptomatic treatment. If you feel angry or upset, a brisk walk or run, or a half hour of lifting weights will often put you back in a good mood.”

Learn: The more you know about a problem, the more control you have over it. ATA has educational brochures, videos, CDs, books, articles and the magazine Tinnitus Today that are all helpful for the tinnitus patient. Seek reliable information from ATA and other credible sources.

Listen: Listening to soothing music or nature sounds can promote a comfortable state of relaxation. Finding the right sound or CD that is comfortable to listen to may take some time. Keep trying until you find the sound that works best for you. Visit ATA.org/Sound or ATA.org/Store/ cds-dvds.

Move: T’ai Chi and yoga are two body movement disciplines that require you to slowly move, breathe and stretch all at the same time. These gentle activities can relax tight muscles and improve circulation. People who practice these exercises note improvement in their sleep, circulation, balance, and even self-esteem. These lifestyle and physical improvements seem to help them manage their tinnitus.

Play: Many people are unaware of their tinnitus when they get involved and engrossed in an enjoyable activity or hobby.

Sleep: With or without tinnitus, we all need to get regular, restful sleep. Avoid caffeine close to bedtime since it stimulates the nervous system. Make your place of sleep comfortable: Replace a sagging mattress; keep the temperature between 60° and 65° F. Play quiet background sound from a table-top environmental sound machine, a radio or a specially designed pillow. Tinnitus can sound even louder when you’re in total silence.

Support: Line up support from your family and friends and talk to them about your tinnitus. Find a support group or help network volunteer to talk with people who can offer information, understanding, compassion and tips on what helps them. Know that you are not alone. Visit ATA.org/support to find a support contact near you.  

Good Resources

• Take advantage our Support Network, ATA.org/support, and connect with others with tinnitus to find out what works for them
• To see what other patients have reported about stress and tinnitus, check out the Tinnitus Data Archive, Tinnitusarchive.org, for statistical summaries of tinnitus patients.
• In addition, PubMed, Pubmed.org, is a great public resource for easily searching a library of medical studies. Search the site using relevant keywords such as “stress and tinnitus.

• ATA’s brochure: Coping with Tinnitus
• ATA.org/sites/ata.org/files/pdf/pdf_archives/Understanding_and_Coping/coping_tips_freeman_sept_05.pdf