February 5th-11th marks the annual Tinnitus Awareness Week, organised by Tinnitus UK. So, what is tinnitus, and how can you prevent your chances of developing it?
Tinnitus UK defines tinnitus is a medical ear condition, where there is a sensation of hearing a sound when there is no external source for that sound. Usually, someone with tinnitus may hear a buzzing or ringing sound that comes and goes or it may be there all the time. Each person experiences tinnitus differently and the volume of tinnitus also varies. Tinnitus can impair a person’s ability to sleep, work or concentrate.
Did you know that tinnitus affects one in seven people in the UK? But the good news is that in many cases Tinnitus is preventable!
Five ways to prevent hearing damage such as tinnitus
- Turn it down: Turn down the volume as long-term exposure to loud music in earphones or headsets is a common cause of tinnitus. Amplified music with no ear protection or listening to music at a high volume is one of the most common causes of tinnitus and hearing loss.
- Plug’em: It is very important that if you are in a loud environment – whether at work, riding a motorcycle, or simply taking part in loud leisure activities - that you protect your hearing by wearing ear plugs. Tinnitus can often be caused by exposure to loud noise environments, yet only a quarter or less of people who work or spend leisure time in loud environments wear ear protection. Filtered ear plugs such as Auritech will reduce damaging noise whilst still allowing you to hear clearly.
- Stay healthy: Limit your intake of tobacco and alcohol as these substances increase your risk of tinnitus by reducing blood flow. Rather, take care of your cardiovascular health by eating well and doing regular exercise to keep your blood vessels healthy which helps prevent tinnitus.
- Stress: Physical and emotional factors of stress have been linked to the contribution and onset of tinnitus, with tinnitus being more prevalent during times of high stress. People respond to having tinnitus differently, with some getting even more stressed having tinnitus thereby trapping you in a cycle of stress. Your outlook and finding ways of dealing with stress for you personally will help in dealing with this cycle and reduce tinnitus.
- Posture: There seems to be a link between posture and tinnitus. Sudden movements, improper posture or whiplash are contributors to causing tinnitus. Postural exercises can help prevent this cause, as well as movement and exercise. Strengthening our muscles reduces the stress and strain on the spinal column and relaxes the neck area.
Awareness of the risk of tinnitus is very low and many cases of tinnitus are preventable.
There is currently no cure for tinnitus but there are ways to manage and help to prevent it. It is especially important to protect your hearing before the damage is done as it’s irreversible. Damage to your hearing occurs at noise levels over 80dB, with each 3dB increase equating to a doubling of noise. You wouldn’t expect it, but motorway traffic has a 95dB level of noise. A circular saw has a noise level of 110dB, and drilling is 100dB. A shotgun blast produces 130dB of noise!
Auritech ear plugs are designed for optimum hearing safety
1. Unique shaped sound channel for each type of use
2. Patented ceramic filter for maximum protection
3. Allows conversation with no muffling effect
4. Tri-sectional comfortable design
5. Silicone free thermoplastic
We are here to support you and protect your hearing.
Find out more at Tinnitus.org or explore our website to see how Auritech can help to protect your hearing and get yourself a set of ear plugs for only £19.95.
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