Stress and Tinnitus

As one is no doubt aware, the world is living in a strange time, the likes of which many of us are unfamiliar. The Covid-19 pandemic has come to bear on many aspects of daily life, seen and felt by most everyone. One sees the economy limping along while the world scrambles to control the virus. Consumers rush out to purchase every bit of whatever they feel is in demand at the time while also trying to stay at home as much as possible. However, there is an unseen concern lurking for many people, one which is dealt with daily for those suffering: Tinnitus. And the stress the world is under may be a huge factor for the people hoping to manage it.

Stress is causally linked to tinnitus and has been for almost 200 years. Though not the only cause of tinnitus, a study in 2011 found that there is a very similar probability for a person to develop tinnitus if they are highly stressed when compared to those who are exposed to noise during work.^1,2 No one can argue that these are stressful times and managing that stress could possibly help lessen the struggle against tinnitus.³

There are quite a few things one can do to help themselves control stress during this pandemic. One can work on being prepared by making some plans ahead of time for things that could become issues later. Keeping a stock of supplies, even entertainment options, can help keep out of stressful situations that might arise. Some pharmacist will fill multiple months’ worth of important medications to help keep your mind at ease. Control your news and information intake. Stay informed for sure, but with the shelter-in-place orders and people trying to stay home to stay safe it can be easy to get bogged down in the 24/7 news outlets on every other channel and web page.³ Keep on chatting and watching TV though as background noise is known to help at least mask tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a big issue for those suffering from it. From lying awake at night, to shrill noise during conversation, tinnitus impacts many aspects of one’s life. Managing your life to help alleviate stress can help make managing your tinnitus a little easier.

References

1. Baigi, A., Oden, A., Almlid-Larsen, V., Barrenas, M. L., and Holgers, K. M. (2011). Tinnitus in the general population with a focus on noise and stress: a public health study. Ear Hear. 32, 787–789. Doi: 10.1097/AUD.0b013e31822229bd
2. Mazurek, et al. (2012) “Stress and Tinnitus-from Bedside to Bench and Back.” Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, Retrieved from www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2012.00047/full on 4/13/2020
3. Schweitzer, Glenn. (2020) Managing tinnitus in times of great stress. Healthy Hearing. Retrieved from https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/53078-Tips-for-managing-tinnitus-during-coronavirus-stress

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