Does a constant hum, ring, or static follow you everywhere? Is it impossible to find a truly quiet space? Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-i-tus, with a soft “i,” not tin-I-tus, doesn’t rhyme with sinusitis) affects 15% of the adult population (ATA.org), or roughly 20 million Americans.

Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound then there is no actual external noise present. Most of the time, tinnitus is the brain’s reaction to damage to the ear or auditory system. It can be caused by hearing loss due to age, genetics, or other sources, or due to any number of neurologic or psychiatric conditions, such as brain injury or anxiety.

While there is no “cure” for tinnitus, there are multiple potential methods for improving the symptoms. Here are 5 tips to help you with your tinnitus.

1) Use a white noise app to find the best masking sound for you. There are multiple out there, including on the Tinnitus Minus app.

2) Sound Print is an app that maps noisy locations. It's like Yelp for the hearing impaired or tinnitus sufferers!

3) Reach out to an online support group. Tinnitus Minus offers online support groups and classes to help tinnitus sufferers.

4) Use a sound level meter app to know how loud is too loud. @NIOSHUSA offers a free app for your cell.

5) Take a class to help you. Tinnitus Minus offers online support groups and classes to help tinnitus sufferers.