What Causes Ringing In My Ears And How To Cure It?

Do you hear a sound in your ears often, one that only you can hear and others can’t?

Then you might suffer from a condition called tinnitus. Interestingly, patients with this condition have reported sounds as diverse as the sound of tap water, crickets, escaping steam, running engines and more.

Tinnitus is one of the most common distressing problems affecting over 50 million people or 15% to 20% of people in the United States. It is especially diagnosed among older adults. It is also a common symptom among children with hearing loss.

About 10% of U.S. adults, or 25 million Americans, experience tinnitus lasting at least five minutes according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

What Is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus isn’t a disease, but a sign that something’s wrong in our auditory system, comprising our ear, auditory nerve, and parts of the brain that process sound.

Even though we associate tinnitus as a sound in our ears, it’s sensed in the neural circuits or networks of our brain cells. So, while tinnitus mostly begins in your ear, it continues in your brain.

There are two kinds of tinnitus:

• Subjective tinnitus: Most people have subjective tinnitus. Subjective tinnitus is an entirely electrochemical phenomenon, where the sounds can only be heard by them and not by others no matter how much they try. These internal sounds can range from ringing, roaring, hissing, buzzing, humming to clicking. The internal sounds can be heard in either one or both your ears. The sounds can vary in pitch and intensity. Sometimes the sounds are so soft that even you won’t notice it. Sometimes, the internal sound is so loud that it can block out the external sounds and interfere with your ability to focus and daily functioning. Tinnitus can be present always or be a recurring phenomenon.
• Objective tinnitus: Objective tinnitus, also known as “somatosound”, is a much less common phenomenon. It is a sound that arises from an “objective” source in your body. The sounds can occur anywhere inside your body and reach your ears by conduction through various body tissues. Objective tinnitus can be heard by the examiner as well. Objective tinnitus is usually caused by disorders relating to your vascular and muscular systems.

There are further subdivisions within these two categories. But generally, physicians use the term tinnitus for “subjective tinnitus” only and use the term “somatosound” instead of objective tinnitus.

What Are The Symptoms And Causes Of Tinnitus?

There can be several causes for tinnitus, and not necessarily one. Something as simple as earwax blockage can cause tinnitus or something as serious as an underlying medical condition like a brain tumor. Tinnitus can be a symptom of several medical conditions. Tinnitus is a symptom of over 75% of all otological disorders alone.

Here are some common causes of tinnitus:

• Aging
• Noise-induced hearing loss
• Excessive earwax (Cerumen)
• Ear and sinus infections
• Ear bone changes
• Foreign objects lodged in your ear
• Muscle spasms in your inner ear
• Head and neck injuries and tumors
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
• Heart or blood vessel problems
• Ménière’s disease
• Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Brain tumors
• Hormonal changes in women
• Thyroid issues
• Certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid problems, and autoimmune disorders.
• Certain ototoxic medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, antidepressants, cancer, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs.

Despite the above potential causes, you may develop tinnitus for no particular reason, and it may not be indicative of a serious health problem.

How Serious Is The Tinnitus Condition?

Out of the reported 50 million people in the United States who have tinnitus, about 12 million Americans have said that the condition affects their daily lives.

Tinnitus can be severe, affecting people’s daily functioning where they have trouble working, listening, and sleeping.

Tinnitus affects different people differently. While for most, it’s not a cause of serious concern, for some, it can completely disrupt their physical, emotional, and mental health.

If tinnitus disrupts your daily life, it’s time to see your doctor. Pay close attention to these potential complications that can arise because of your tinnitus:

• Stress
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Hearing loss
• Anger and irritability
• Anxiety and Depression
• Sleep problems
• Upper respiratory infection, such as a cold
• Focus, concentration and memory problems
• Problems in personal and professional life

Your doctor will inquire about your current health conditions, symptoms, medications, and medical history to understand the root cause of your tinnitus.

Tinnitus has no cure currently unless it’s caused by an underlying condition, in which case your doctor may be able to cure it if they treat the underlying medical condition that’s causing it. But there are several treatments and management techniques that can help you cope better with the condition even if tinnitus cannot be cured. Most doctors suggest a combination of treatment strategies for your tinnitus.

Top Five Ways To Prevent And Manage Tinnitus

If the cause for your tinnitus is not a medical condition or there is no established cause, there are several tactics that can reduce the effect of tinnitus on your life.

Here are some precautionary steps that can help you reduce the impact of tinnitus.

1. Avoid Listening To Loud Music

Protecting your ears is one of the most effective ways to prevent tinnitus. Listening to music at very high volume for a long time can cause hearing loss and tinnitus. Avoid listening to loud music by either reducing the volume or moving far away from the music source. If you’re using earbuds to listen to music, turn down the volume.

2. Use Hearing Aids And Protection

If you have tinnitus, you most likely have hearing loss too. Wear hearing aids that amplify soft sounds in your environment and make it easier for you to listen. On the other hand, if you are constantly exposed to loud sounds because of your working or other external environment, you can lessen the impact and prevent the chances of tinnitus by wearing over-the-ear hearing protection.

3. Use Sound Generators

Sound generators are devices that mask tinnitus by producing soft, soothing sounds like rain showers, waterfall, water waves, chirping of birds, etc. These help in relieving insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety because of tinnitus. You can choose to use wearable sound generators devices that fit snugly inside your ear. Or you can use a tabletop sound generator placed next to your bed to aid sound sleep.

4. Take Care Of Your Health With Better Lifestyle

Regular exercise, eating right, limiting or abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and nicotine to keep your blood vessels healthy can help prevent tinnitus linked to blood vessel disorders. Poor lifestyle can affect blood flow and contribute to tinnitus.

5. Manage Stress And Anxiety

Living with tinnitus can be a stressful experience. Learning relaxation techniques, going for therapy and counseling sessions can help you better deal with your tinnitus condition. Some of the counseling sessions can help you understand how your brain causes tinnitus, and how you can change the way you think and react to the conditions. Depending on your condition, your doctor might even prescribe medications for your tinnitus.

Conclusion

Tinnitus is a common problem that might be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Treatment for tinnitus usually depends on the cause. Sometimes there can be no cause for your tinnitus. If you notice any telling signs for tinnitus and if it is disrupting your daily life, it’s time to contact your primary care physician immediately for further investigation and treatment.