You’ve probably heard people talk about yoga’s flexibility and stress-relieving benefits before, but did you know some studies suggest this holistic exercise could also help relieve tinnitus symptoms? Let’s take a look at what tinnitus is and how yoga can be an excellent addition to your symptom management routine.
The Facts About Tinnitus
Tinnitus, the perception of a ringing or buzzing without an external source, affects a significant portion of the adult population, with almost 10% experiencing chronic tinnitus. While tinnitus might start as a mild annoyance, factors including sleep deprivation, caffeine consumption, advancing hearing loss and psychological stress can intensify the sound, making it more difficult to ignore and manage.
Depending on your tinnitus severity, your audiology expert might recommend combining a few approaches, including sound masking with hearing aids or white noise machines, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) and stress reduction techniques.
Yoga And Stress Reduction
Stress is often named as a cause for tinnitus, with many patients in clinic settings stating that their symptoms worsen after stressful situations. One way to help minimize tinnitus aggravation is to calm stress whenever possible.
A comprehensive 2021 review of five studies examining yoga’s impact on tinnitus revealed promising results: three of these studies reported that yoga contributed to a noticeable reduction in the severity of tinnitus symptoms. Participants also experienced a decrease in anxiety, irritability and stress levels—all of which are closely linked to tinnitus.
How Should I Start Practicing Yoga?
Yoga weaves meditation, controlled breathing and physical postures to improve physical and mental health. If you’re new to yoga, it’s important to begin with safe, beginner-friendly poses. Here are some poses that can help you get started:
- Child’s pose: A gentle resting pose that fosters relaxation and calms the mind.
- Mountain pose: A foundational standing pose that promotes good posture and balance.
- Corpse pose: A restorative pose used for relaxation and meditation, often practiced at the end of a yoga session to help you wind down.
Beyond physical poses, incorporating meditation and deep breathing exercises into your routine can particularly benefit those dealing with stress-related tinnitus. While there are many different ways to meditate, two beginner methods include emotion-centered and body-centered.
With emotion-centered meditation, you concentrate on positive emotions like joy, gratitude or compassion to help mitigate the negative emotional impact of tinnitus. With body-centered meditation, you focus on physical sensations to ground yourself and shift focus away from tinnitus.
For additional guidance, you might explore online yoga videos or guided meditations. If you enjoy group activities, attending a class at Grace Studios could also be an excellent way to start.
Our team of specialists is here to help you navigate your tinnitus. Contact Hearing Center Silver Spring today to discuss your symptoms and develop a management plan.