The Myths about Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the phantom ringing or buzzing sensation you get in your ears, in the absence of any such stimuli. Even though it is annoying to constantly be subjected to tinnitus, what is more annoying is that there is so much misinformation all over the internet about it.

The reality is that tinnitus is actually very common and can happen due to a number of reasons. In America, 1 in 5 people have tinnitus, which is why it is imperative to rectify the facts and sift out the myths about tinnitus.

Nowadays, most of our free time revolves around social media. Unfortunately, 44% of the groups on Facebook circulate incorrect information about tinnitus. On twitter, this misinformation occurs at a rate of 34%, while 30% of videos on YouTube contain inaccurate information.

This may not seem like that big of a deal to you, but in reality, engaging in quick-search solutions for your tinnitus may lead to unnecessary amounts of anxiety and cost you your time and money as you try out several ineffective “remedies” that were mentioned on the internet.

If you are worried about the inaccuracies of tinnitus, what then, is the reality? The reality is that tinnitus is a widely diagnosed medical condition which results in a ringing sensation in one or both ears. It can vary in its severity and can sometimes appear and disappear out of nowhere. Chronic tinnitus refers to a condition where your tinnitus symptoms last for above six months in duration.

Now that you are aware that there are myths floating around on the internet about tinnitus, it is time to discuss what those myths entail. The first myth about tinnitus is that using hearing aids cannot help alleviate tinnitus. In reality, hearing aids are a very effective way to treat your tinnitus since the phantom sounds arising in tinnitus are reduced by the actual sounds picked up by the hearing aids. In many ways, your ears try to compensate for your lack of hearing by producing sounds that you hear due to tinnitus, but when you use hearing aids, you will be able to hear actual sounds in your environment, hence your brain will no longer need to “fill in the gaps” by generating phantom sounds.

People also circulate the myth that eating nutritious food will cure tinnitus. In reality, even though eating healthier may lessen the severity of tinnitus, and reducing intake of certain substances (such as caffeine and alcohol) may lower the triggers for tinnitus, eating any type of food will not magically “cure” your tinnitus. Many people promise miracle “cures” on the internet when it comes to tinnitus. The sad reality is that currently, there is still no known cure for tinnitus.

Other myths involving tinnitus are that hearing loss and loud noises are the sole causes of tinnitus. In reality, tinnitus can be caused by various reasons, such as physical trauma to the head, illnesses, certain side effects from medications, and even pregnancy.

If you really want to help yourself, take time out to search for reputable journal articles that will provide you with accurate information about genuine research studies about tinnitus. Similarly, go to websites that are catered towards auditory health to get more accurate information about tinnitus.

Now that you are aware of the harmful nature of the myths being spread on the internet, take it upon yourself to stop the vicious cycle of spreading misinformation. When you read an article or watch a video about tinnitus that looks too good to be true, it probably is. Do not spend time watching or sharing these pieces of inaccurate information so that you can spare yourself and others the anguish of being disappointed later on.