Squeaks and hisses, I am so used to it after years that I hardly hear it. Let alone bother me. Until my period of social isolation started. Suddenly there was that squeak again, but much more pushy than usual. And then try writing an article.
Complaints intensified by stress
I have not imagined the worsening of my complaints, ENT doctor Dennis Kox of the Spaarne Gasthuis assures me. “The situation as it is normal has changed. That is stressful. When you are stressed, tinnitus can be perceived as worse, because it enhances your sensory perception.”
“Many people are worried: how will my job be in the future? How will it be with my family? Everything in your system is happening that is different from normal. This puts your body in alarm mode and you hear it whizzing worse. “
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Lack of background noise
That stress is not too bad for me. The problem is mainly that during my days there is hardly any background noise. The lack of a busy editorial staff to distract me, according to Kox, makes me hear my ringing in my ears much more than usual. “When you’re in the office, there is a lot going on around you. You often don’t have that at home, because if you can you will sit separately in a room. It is much quieter at your workplace. You are actually quarantined with tinnitus a room. “
Fortunately, according to the ENT doctor, nothing changes to the damage in your ear. “It’s not that something goes completely wrong there because you’re stressed. You get used to it again.” That’s right, because as I write this, that annoying beep has been reduced to a noise that I hardly notice. “That has to do with your mindset. It depends on how you put it together,” says Kox.
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What is tinnitus?
People with tinnitus hear sounds such as murmur, squeak or whistle, high or low, loud or soft, combinations of sounds, continuously or at times. Other people cannot hear those sounds.
The cause of tinnitus cannot always be determined. It can result from prolonged exposure to noise, but it can also be due to abnormalities in the hearing organ, brain or temporomandibular joint.
It is estimated that approximately two million have Dutch tinnitus.
Source: kno.nl
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“Fighting against it doesn’t help”
I am not the only one who has been suffering from tinnitus lately. The British association British Tinnitus Association has dedicated a special page on its website. Also on Twitter, people wonder why their complaints are worse. But what can you do if you suddenly get completely crazy about the sound?
“Fighting against it doesn’t help,” says health care psychologist Eleanore Vromans. She guides people with tinnitus at Koninklijke Kentalis, an organization for people with hearing problems or language development disorders. “The more meaning you give it, the more it comes to the fore.”
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Provide relaxation
According to Vromans, it is important that you look for relaxation and take good care of yourself. “Eat healthy and do positive things, so not all the time with corona.” Distraction can also help: “If you want to listen to music, that’s fine. Or go for a bike ride, with the wind on your ears, out for a while. It doesn’t have to be in the foreground permanently.”
But in the end you just have to get used to it. There are entire courses for this, but you can also take steps yourself. “You should not just mask the tinnitus, but also try to allow it. Try to accept it. So think: even though I have a beep, I’m going to make a nice sandwich.”
Vromans also recommends the patient tool of the Hoormij Foundation for more information, and she thinks the book ‘First aid for ringing in the ears’ is good to consult.
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Masking sound
ENT specialist Kox also has some advice for patients. If you really can’t accept the ringing in your ears without help, you can make it more bearable with certain sounds, he says. “If you are working and you are bothered by it, it is wise to switch on the radio or a noise. White noise or gray noise is a wide noise, the sound of your tinnitus drops out. You have apps there but it’s also on Spotify or YouTube. “
Also pay attention to your chair or desk: “Ringing in the ears can also be caused by muscle tension in the neck or jaws. Then do relaxation exercises to loosen your back, and watch how you sit.”
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Consult by phone
Kox: “Ultimately you have to use the ringing in your ears. So think: if your ringing in the ears gets worse, why is that? Think of it as a kind of pressure cooker. If the pressure gets too high, it will whistle. Then you slow down. If you succeed, you have a thermometer that tells you how you are doing. “
However, the doctor would like to emphasize that healthcare is not completely stopped. “If it really doesn’t work, you can often get a referral for an ENT doctor from your GP. Then you can make a call. We are now conducting telephone consultations.” So you certainly don’t have to be alone.
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