“Why do I hear a ringing noise in my ears?” “How can I make that noise go away?”
If you find yourself making these kinds of statements, you might have tinnitus, a common hearing problem that causes you to hear noises or perceive a sound that others can’t hear. You’re not by yourself. Tinnitus is a disorder that affects millions of people.
Most describe it as ringing in the ears, but it can also sound like a dial tone, pulsing noise, buzzing, or whistling.
Ringing in the ears might seem harmless, depending on its intensity. But there are definitely times when you shouldn’t neglect it. Something more significant might be the underlying cause of these noises.
You need to take the following 6 symptoms seriously.
1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life
Some research indicates that 26% of people with tinnitus cope with that ringing on a nearly continuous basis.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship troubles are all possible outcomes of this ever present ringing.
It can be a struggle between the tinnitus noise and something as simple as attempting to hear your friend give you a recipe over the phone. The constant ringing has stressed you out to the point where you snap at a family member who simply asks you a question.
A vicious cycle can be the result of this constant ringing. The ringing gets louder as your stress level rises. Loud noise makes you more nervous and so on.
If your tinnitus is contributing to these kinds of life challenges, you shouldn’t neglect it. It’s real, and it affects your quality of life. There are treatment options that can significantly reduce or eliminate the noise in your ears.
2. After You Switched Medications, Your Ears Began to Ring
Whether you have persistent back pain or cancer, doctors may try numerous different medications to manage the same condition. You may ask for a different option if you start to experience significant side effects. If your tinnitus started or got seriously worse after you started a new medication, check that list of side effects and speak with your doctor.
Tinnitus may be caused by some common medications. These include some forms of:
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
- Chemo
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
- Loop Diuretics
- Antibiotics
3. It Comes With Blurred Vision, Headache, or Seizures
This might be a sign that high blood pressure is creating your tinnitus. The blood circulation in your inner ear is restricted when you suffer from hypertension. Your overall health is also in danger with high blood pressure. Over time, it could cause or worsen age-related hearing loss.
4. You Always Seem to be Leaving Work, The Gym, or a Concert When You Hear it
If you only hear the tinnitus after you leave a loud setting such as a factory, concert, aerobics class, or bar, then the place you just left had noise levels above safe levels. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become permanent the more frequently you ignore them and skip using ear protection. And it’s usually accompanied by hearing loss.
If you love a noisy night out, take precautions like:
- At least once every hour, step outside or into the restroom to give your ears a break
- Standing a bit further away from loud speakers
- Wearing earplugs
If you work in a noisy environment, follow work rules regarding earplugs and earmuffs. Your safety gear will only successfully protect you if you use it correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
We hope you wouldn’t ignore facial paralysis irrespective of whether you have ringing in your ears. But when the tinnitus symptoms are come along with paralysis, headaches, and nausea, this may be a sign of a slow-growing benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma.
6. Fluctuating Hearing Loss is Accompanying Tinnitus
Are you experiencing hearing loss that comes and goes? Are you sometimes dizzy? If these symptoms are taking place along with tinnitus, you might need to get screened for Menier’s disease. This causes a fluid imbalance in your ears. Your risk of falling due to lack of balance will worsen if this condition is left untreated.
Tinnitus is frequently a sign of hearing loss. So you should get your hearing aid discovery tested if you’re experiencing it. Call us to make an appointment.