The Role Stress Management Has in Effective Tinnitus Treatment

One of the main specialties of Hearing Associates of Las Vegas is tinnitus treatment. With our specialized experience in working with tinnitus patients, we are always happy to share information on how you can more effectively manage your tinnitus, which is why we are focusing on stress management’s connection to effective tinnitus treatment.

A significant aspect of tinnitus management comes down to managing your stress levels. Problem is, tinnitus often is stressful for those who experience it, creating a self-defeating cycle for those who don’t learn to manage their stress.

Connection Between Tinnitus And Stress

Some of our patients have expressed their frustration with how stressed out tinnitus can make them. They often feel like they should have greater control since “it’s all in their heads.” But, tinnitus is not just a phantom ringing in your ears that causes stress—tinnitus can trigger physiological and psychological stress reactions.

Researchers who have been looking into the stress and tinnitus connection have found compelling evidence that experiencing tinnitus can raise cortisol levels. As cortisol is your body’s major stress hormone, when you experience high cortisol levels due to tinnitus, you are undergoing a physiological reaction to tinnitus.

As for the psychological side of tinnitus, another set of scholars looked into the mental health impact of tinnitus. With the help of MRI scans, tinnitus researchers have found that tinnitus routes through the dorsal prefrontal region, which includes the amygdala. As the amygdala plays a significant role in regulating our emotions, it makes sense that having tinnitus activates your amygdala causes heightened levels of stress.

Effective Ways To Relieve Stress And Reduce Tinnitus

As tinnitus can affect you both psychologically and physiologically, your tinnitus treatment can be more effective if you tackle treatment and stress management at the same time. Some effective ways you can relieve your stress and help reduce your tinnitus are:

Meditate And Practice Mindfulness

A simple way to start reducing your stress and lower the impact of your tinnitus is to meditate and practice mindfulness. Now, mediation can get a bad rep as a “woo woo” thing. However, by taking just 5-10 minutes to remain calm and peaceful, you can effectively bring your stress levels down.

As for mindfulness, it is similar to meditation in action. Rather than obsess how your tinnitus is still ringing, acknowledge it and move on. What does the chair you are sitting on feel? What are the tastes of the food you are eating? By being mindful of your other senses, you can reduce your hyper-awareness of your tinnitus.

Exercise To Lower Cortisol Levels

To address the physiological side of tinnitus-induced stress, regular exercise is an excellent solution. By doing 20-30 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week, you can naturally lower your cortisol levels.

Cardio exercises are best for addressing tinnitus and stress, as it helps improve your cardiovascular system, which assists in helping your body function optimally. However, if you prefer anaerobic activities such as weightlifting, you should feel free to do that instead. As long as you are regularly exercising, you should reap the benefits.

Use Hearing Aids To Manage Tinnitus And Hearing Loss

Experiencing hearing loss can be incredibly stressful, as our society relies on effective communication to get most things done. Hearing loss is also often connected to tinnitus, as the brain attempts to fill the silence caused by hearing loss with tinnitus.

Using hearing aids can remove the strain of hearing loss and decrease your stress from being unable to hear clearly. Also, with the right hearing aids, you can also have built-in tinnitus management, which makes hearing aids effective even if you don’t have hearing loss.

Try Our Tinnitus Relief Studio

For those who are struggling to manage their tinnitus, you can always take a break in our tinnitus relief studio. This specialized room is outfitted with a soothing, zero-gravity massage chair, soothing background sounds so that you aren’t left in silence with your tinnitus, and it is available for quick getaway sessions of 30 minutes.

After a bit of time in our tinnitus relief studio, you can lower your stress levels enough to get your tinnitus back under control. That way, you can leave our relaxing studio refreshed and ready for the rest of your day.

If you are interested in booking a session in our tinnitus relief studio or want to consult with our hearing instrument specialists concerning other tinnitus treatments, contact us today.