What Are The Benefits Of Habituation And How Can It Be Used To Treat Tinnitus?

Did you know that about 10% of the population in the United States has tinnitus? That’s about 25 million people, making the condition more common than you might think. 

It’s more frequent in older adults, and it’s estimated that 25% of people over the age of 65 live with tinnitus. 

But what is tinnitus, and what causes it? 

Tinnitus is a condition where people perceive a sound in their ears even though there isn’t an external source for the sound. The most common example is ringing in the ears, but other sounds like buzzing, hissing, whistling, and even clicking can be heard. 

Tinnitus can be mild and allow patients to live without adverse effects, or it can be incredibly severe and cause difficulties in the person’s daily life.

What are the causes of tinnitus?

The most common cause of tinnitus is hearing loss. When the hair cells in the inner ear get damaged, they can’t send signals to the brain.

The neurons that go from the ear to the brain are bored and start firing randomly on their own. Thus, the brain (auditory cortex) perceives a sound that is actually being created from the auditory neurons. This causes the perception of tinnitus.

However, there are a lot of other causes for tinnitus, such as: 

• Exposure to loud noise
• Head injuries
• Certain medications
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
• Neck/Back issues
• Wax impaction
• Ear infections

Is there a cure for tinnitus?

There isn’t a cure for tinnitus, but there are a lot of treatments you can use to help reduce the impact of tinnitus on your life. The most effective treatment for tinnitus is called habituation which is exactly what we’re going to discuss in this article. 

We’ll go through what habituation is and how it can help you and your loved ones live better with tinnitus.

What is habituation?

Habituation is a fancy word for getting used to external stimuli. Habituation is a treatment for tinnitus where you learn to ignore the sound of your tinnitus. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s an extremely effective treatment for the condition. 

When you habituate to tinnitus, you’ll learn to pay less attention to the sound it creates, and it will become less noticeable. 

With habituation, your tinnitus can even “go away” by your brain pushing it out of your conscious awareness. While the physiological cause is still there, your brain chooses to hear through the tinnitus.

How do you habituate to tinnitus?

There are numerous things that can help you habituate to tinnitus, and below we’ll show you six simple things you can start doing to make living with tinnitus easier on you. 

1. Learn about tinnitus 

The first step is the easiest - simply learn all you can about your tinnitus. You’re going to be overcoming tinnitus, so the best thing you can do is get to know it. The more you know, the less likely scary it will feel to you. 

There are a lot of resources designed to help you and others learn more about the condition. Our favorite is the American Tinnitus Association website which is full of helpful information. Stay away from chat rooms or other sites that are not evidence based. Reading misinformation can actually make your tinnitus worse.

2. Don't focus on the sound 

When you’re aware of the sound of your tinnitus, try not to focus on it too much. Instead, focus on something else. 

For example, if you’re talking with family and friends, focus on the conversation you’re having. If you’re doing a task at work, focus on that. If you’re trying to relax in a quiet room, maybe get up and go for a walk.

3. Use relaxation techniques 

Deep breathing and even meditation are great relaxation techniques to incorporate into your daily routine. They can help reduce any stress and anxiety that’s often linked to making tinnitus worse. 

When you use mindfulness meditations, you are soothing the emotional center of your brain that is responsible for your reactions to your tinnitus. Habituation can only occur once your brain is not reactive to tinnitus.

4. Get enough sleep

Sleep is so important for your health, but did you know your body will cope with stress and anxiety much better if you’re well-rested? Tiredness is known to aggravate tinnitus, so ensure you’re getting a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

5. Avoid alcohol and caffeine

If you’re suffering badly from tinnitus, try to avoid alcohol and caffeine. These substances can actually worsen your tinnitus and make it more difficult to deal with.

6. See a doctor

If you have severe tinnitus or your tinnitus is impacting your daily life, it’s time to see an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus. There might be an underlying medical condition that’s causing your tinnitus. By consulting a doctor, you’ll be able to identify the appropriate steps to take next.

How long does it take to get habituated to tinnitus?

Unfortunately, habituation isn’t a quick fix and it takes a lot of dedication to get the full benefit of the treatment. Changes in the brain do not happen overnight, but with time and effort, it does work and is very effective in reducing the severity and impact of tinnitus. 

Using habituation paired with a whole lot of dedication, you will learn to live with tinnitus and stop it from controlling your life.

Tips to help you further with habituation to tinnitus

Our above tips will help you get started when it comes to habituating to tinnitus, but these tactics can help you further.

Get a white noise machine or fan

White noise machines or fans can help distract you from your tinnitus, making it easier to complete tasks around the house. They’re also great for helping you sleep.

Listen to music

Another great way to stop yourself from getting sucked into the sound of your tinnitus is to listen to music. Popping on your favorite song will help distract you from the tinnitus. 

Another great way to stop yourself from getting sucked into the sound of your tinnitus is to listen to music. Popping on your favorite song will help distract you from the tinnitus. Just make sure to not drown out your tinnitus, because your brain cannot habituate to something it can’t perceive.

1. Minimize your stress   -  stress has a direct correlation with the volume of your tinnitus. 
2. Mindfulness stress reduction therapy

Habituation is a process that takes time and effort, but it can be very effective in reducing the severity and impact of tinnitus.

With these tips, we know you’ll be able to work through this and start living your life to the fullest again. 

At The Hearing Solution, we help people with hearing lossand people who are living with tinnitus. If you think your tinnitus was caused by hearing loss, now is the time to schedule a hearing test with a team of talented, professional audiologists. 

‍Schedule a hearing test today online or call 916 646 2471