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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

In many cases, tinnitus is the result of something that can't be prevented. However, some precautions can help prevent certain kinds of tinnitus.

  • Use hearing protection. Over time, exposure to loud noise can damage the nerves in the ears, causing hearing loss and tinnitus. If you use chain saws, are a musician, work in an industry that uses loud machinery or use firearms (especially pistols or shotguns), always wear over-the-ear hearing protection.
  • Turn down the volume. Long-term exposure to amplified music with no ear protection or listening to music at very high volume though headphones can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
  • Take care of your cardiovascular health. Regular exercise, eating right and taking other steps to keep your blood vessels healthy can help prevent tinnitus linked to blood vessel disorders.
References
  1. About tinnitus. American Tinnitus Association. http://www.ata.org/for-patients/about-tinnitus. Accessed May 20, 2010.
  2. Dinces EA. Pathogenesis and diagnosis of tinnitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 6, 2010.
  3. Dinces EA. Treatment of tinnitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 6, 2010.
  4. Holmes S, et al. Review paper: More than ringing in the ears — A review of tinnitus and its psychosocial impact. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2009;18:2927.
DS00365 July 31, 2010

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