By Barry Keate
Barry Keate, has lived with tinnitus over 40 years and has published 150+ research articles on numerous aspects of tinnitus. He is an expert on the condition and a well-known advocate for those with tinnitus.

(freepik/Freepik)
There are many symptoms associated with tinnitus that go beyond ear ringing. While that is a hallmark symptom of the disorder, issues such as loss of balance, trouble sleeping, and social reclusion can also accompany the diagnosis.
One relatively unknown symptom associated with tinnitus is noise sensitivity or hyperacusis. Certain sounds or frequencies may be difficult for individuals with tinnitus. For those who develop tinnitus from loud noise or hearing damage associated with accidents, sounds associated with these events can become difficult to handle. For others, the ringing associated with the tinnitus itself may become problematic when all their brain can focus on is that sound. Even normal sounds in the environment can be grating.
Hearing and noise sensitivities closely link to the mind. With more research on both tinnitus and mental health published each year, researchers are gaining a better understanding of the condition and how to treat it. If you or someone you love suffers from hearing sensitivity associated with tinnitus, here are three possible treatments and coping mechanisms for noise sensitivity that may help you find the relief you are looking for.
1. Avoid Silence
Do you remember being at your grandmother’s house and constantly hearing the tick-tock of her clock? Do you remember how agitating that sound became as the day went on? The persistent ticking of the clock in a silent house is similar to trying to manage your tinnitus symptoms in silence.
While it is logical to treat hearing damage, like tinnitus, with silence, it does not provide the relief you think it will. When there are no sounds for your brain to listen to, it can only focus on the sound of your tinnitus. This can cause your tinnitus symptoms to be more aggravating and can lead to a great deal of frustration.
Try mellow sound baths to avoid the irritation of living in silence with tinnitus. This alternative treatment for tinnitus involves keeping a constant stream of sounds for your brain to fixate on; the sound of your tinnitus is no longer the focus of your mind. This can bring a great deal of relief and relaxation.
2. Endure Difficult Sounds
While this may sound like a nightmare, exposing yourself to sounds that you find frustrating can help you overcome your sensitivity to them. If a specific sound or frequency irritates you more than others, try putting yourself in situations where you hear it. Playing those sounds on your phone or venturing into environments where you listen to them can help you overcome your fear or anger with them.
If you are interested in doing exposure therapy yourself, you can start by exposing yourself to the sound in short bursts and gradually increasing the length of the exposure over time. When you are listening to troublesome sounds, be mindful of your thoughts while you are hearing them. Much of sound sensitivity is connected to your mind. Thankfully, you can train your mind to process emotions better by staying in control of your thoughts while listening to difficult sounds.
While exposure therapy isn’t always an exact science, you may find that you can better cope with sounds that are difficult for you to hear. Learning to handle sensitive sounds better can help you better live with your tinnitus.
3. Use Hearing Protection Appropriately
As stated earlier, much of the sensitivity you experience with noise is in your mind. If you fear hearing sounds, you may overreact when you do hear them. This can create an ever-tightening spiral in which noise is feared, heard, and then feared more.
A logical step to addressing this would be to protect your ears, wear earplugs, or avoid troublesome sounds. However, this can actually make your sensitivity worse. As you dampen noises using earplugs, your mind associates the sound you are sensitive to with something that needs to be avoided or prevented. If and when you hear that sound and are unprepared for it, your reaction to it may be heightened.
This is not to say that hearing protection should not be used. Ear protection should absolutely be used in loud environments like concerts, nightclubs, or noisy working environments. There is no need to develop or worsen tinnitus symptoms unnecessarily.
While ear protection is vital in dangerously loud environments, those with noise sensitivity should not use it in everyday life. This strengthens the relationship between the sound you find difficult and feelings of fear, making noise sensitivity worse. When appropriate, using ear protection can protect hearing.
4. Reduce Stress
Tinnitus is a condition that can be made worse by stress. With the mental link between noise sensitivity and emotions, it is only natural that when more negative feelings happen, there is a heightened sensitivity to problem noises. Keeping stress at bay is crucial to treating and preventing tinnitus caused by stress and treating noise sensitivity.
While removing every stressor in our lives is impossible, managing negative emotions in safer and healthier ways is possible. If you find that you cannot cope with the stress in your life, seek professional help. You may find that as you gain more control over your mind, you can gain more control of your hearing and noise sensitivity.
The world around us is full of noises, and unfortunately, some of these noises can be particularly irritating for those with tinnitus. While a challenging part of the tinnitus journey, learning how to cope with all types of sounds is an essential part of living a fulfilling life. Every person is different, so if one strategy doesn’t work for you, try something else. Luckily, there are many natural treatments for tinnitus that can help you find relief.
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Infographic
Hearing sensitivity is linked to mental health. With more research on tinnitus, better treatments are emerging. If you or a loved one has tinnitus, explore this infographic for three treatment and coping strategies.
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