How Do Stress and Anxiety Worsen Tinnitus and How Can You Reduce Them?

“I really enjoy increased stress,” said no one, ever. As you might expect, being anxious and stressed out rarely improves your situation in life, especially when battling a crippling physical disorder like tinnitus. Keep reading to learn from some health pros about how anxiety and stress affect tinnitus symptoms and what strategies they recommend to feel more comfortable.

Dr. Edna Skopljak

Dr. Edna Skopljak

MD and Medical Advisor with .

Increases Your Awareness of Annoying Sounds; Relaxation Techniques, Therapy

Stress and anxiety can worsen tinnitus by increasing your awareness of the ringing or buzzing sounds. This can cause muscle tension that affects blood flow to the ears, disrupts sleep patterns, and makes you more hypersensitive to the sounds. Negative thought patterns can also amplify distress.

To handle stress and anxiety related to tinnitus you can try:

Relaxation Techniques — Try deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation to reduce overall stress.

Therapy — Consider cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to change negative thought patterns and manage anxiety.

Exercise — Engage in regular physical activity to reduce stress levels and promote better sleep.

Sound Therapy — Use white noise or calming sounds to mask tinnitus and make it less bothersome.

These strategies can help you manage the impact of stress and anxiety on your tinnitus and improve your overall quality of life.

Hassan Sanders

Hassan Sanders

Founder and CEO of .

Creates Muscular Tension; Sound Therapy, Frequent Physical Activity

Anxiety and stress can make tinnitus more noticeable, make it seem louder, increase muscular tension, make it difficult to sleep, and encourage negative thought habits, among other things. This can make the already stressful and unpleasant experience of living with tinnitus much worse.

When dealing with tinnitus, it can be helpful to employ a number of coping mechanisms to alleviate the accompanying tension and anxiety. Sound therapy is one option for masking the sounds of tinnitus, along with deep breathing exercises, meditation, therapy for changing unhelpful thought patterns, frequent physical activity to relieve stress, and a healthy lifestyle. Joining a support group and talking to a doctor who specializes in treating tinnitus can help you cope emotionally and give you access to individualized treatment choices.

These methods may not be able to completely get rid of tinnitus, but they can help you live with it much more comfortably and enhance your quality of life. The best way to deal with tinnitus and the stress and worry it causes is to work with a healthcare professional to create a personalized treatment plan.

Alexander Lapa

Alexander Lapa

Certified Psychiatrist at .

Causes Dizzy Spells; Improve Your Sleep, Play Soft Music As a Distraction

Anxiety and stress go hand in hand with tinnitus. Tinnitus is a ringing in your ears that can get worse and cause dizziness spells. Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming, hissing, throbbing or music in your ears. It can affect the quality of someone’s life so extensively that it can worsen anxiety and depression.

To soothe instances of tinnitus you can:

    – Practice breathing exercises as they will help you relax.

    – Work on improving your quality of sleep. Try cutting down on caffeine

    – Surround yourself with calmness and quieter sounds.

    – Ensure that you are not in entirely quiet spaces, as soft music can help distract from the tinnitus.

    – Don’t focus on your tinnitus, distract yourself with hobbies.

    – You can also undergo different types of counseling tailored to tinnitus in order to learn more about your tinnitus and how to cope with it.

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