Tinnitus - What Caregivers Need to Know
Home Care in Queens NY
Does your loved one every experience a ringing in their ears? Do they hear a muffled buzzing sound that can range from being slightly irritating to very distracting? If your loved one’s hearing is affected by frequent ringing or noise, they may be suffering from tinnitus, a common ear condition that often accompanies hearing loss. While tinnitus may be tolerable for some, it can also cause significant problems for others. Severe tinnitus can lead to sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty carrying on conversations. Fortunately, there are ways tinnitus can be treated. If you suspect that your loved one is suffering from tinnitus, read on for some more information about this condition and some things you can do to help them ease their symptoms.
What are the symptoms of tinnitus?
The main symptom of tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, whistling, or hissing in the ears. It may be present constantly or it can come and go. The noise in the ears can vary in severity and it range from being tolerable to so severe that it may keep your loved one awake at night. Tinnitus can be a sign of underlying conditions, so it is important for your loved one to call their doctor if they are experiencing tinnitus symptoms.
How is tinnitus caused?
Those who have noise-induced hearing loss are at a higher risk for developing tinnitus. So, if your loved one worked as a construction worker, musician, pilot, landscaper, etc., they could be at risk for noise-induced hearing loss as well as tinnitus. Other causes of tinnitus include ear infections, blockages, tumors in the ear, certain medications, high blood pressure, allergies, anemia, TMJ, and head and neck injuries.
How is tinnitus treated?
If your loved one’s tinnitus is caused by an underlying medical condition, your loved one’s doctor will treat that first. Often, treating the underlying conditions can make the tinnitus disappear. Other treatments include certain medications, removing earwax buildup, and masking devices. Masking devices produce a different sound that is more pleasant which “masks” the sound your loved one hears due to tinnitus. In some cases, tinnitus retraining therapy can be effective. This is a process that retrains the brain to ignore the sound of tinnitus and it can take up to 24 months to be effective. In addition, there are many things that caregivers can help their loved one to do at home to relieve symptoms. These include avoiding tinnitus triggers (alcohol, caffeine, certain foods), getting plenty of rest, and practicing relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Queens, NY, please call the caring staff at Right at Home of Brooklyn (347) 334-5382.
Author: Walter Ochoa, Owner, Right at Home Brooklyn Walter Ochoa is the owner and operator of Right at Home, which is located in Brooklyn.Walter graduated from the University of the Valley in Guatemala. He met and married his college sweetheart, Jean, who is American. They moved to Brooklyn, where they currently live with their 2 children. They are very involved in the community.
Walter has worked for some of the top financial service companies holding various positions from Project Management to Compliance Control Specialist. Despite his success, he had always wanted to do something more fulfilling that would give him a greater sense of inner satisfaction. He wanted to assist those who wished to stay in their own homes, but could no longer do it alone, like the elderly and disabled. So when the opportunity arose for him to start his own business, he took it. In 2010, Walter and Jean ventured to open Right at Home of Brooklyn, which services all of New York City.
Walter knows he made the right decision because he saw the need was definitely there. Now Right at Home assists not only the elderly and disabled, but adults of any age that need some assistance or an extra hand to continue living Right at Home.” That conviction, plus his Culture of Care philosophy, makes Right at Home one of the most Care driven Home Care agencies around.
