“Why am I hearing a ringing noise in my ears?” “How can I make that sound go away?”
If you find yourself making these kinds of statements, you might be dealing with tinnitus, a common hearing condition that causes you to hear noises or perceive a sound that others can’t hear. You’re not alone. Millions of individuals have this disorder.
Ringing, pulsing, whistling, or buzzing are the sounds that most people describe.
Ringing in the ears may seem harmless, depending on its intensity. But tinnitus shouldn’t always be neglected. Something more serious may be the root cause of these sounds.
You need to take the following 6 symptoms seriously.
1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life
Some research suggests that 26% of people with tinnitus experience that ringing on an almost constant basis.
This frustrating, ever-present noise can result in all kinds of relationship problems, insomnia, anxiety, and even depression.
Something as basic as listening to your daughter share a recipe over the phone becomes a struggle between her voice and the noise that overpowers it. You might snap at your grandchild, who simply asks a question, because the ringing stresses you out.
Constant ringing can cause a vicious cycle. The ringing gets louder as your stress level goes up. And you get more anxious the louder the noise is and on and on.
If your tinnitus is contributing to these kinds of life struggles, you shouldn’t ignore it. It’s real, and it affects your quality of life. The noise can be decreased or eliminated with available treatment choices.
2. After You Changed Medications, Your Ears Began to Ring
Doctors may try numerous different medications to treat the same condition whether you have chronic pain or cancer. Some of these will have side effects so significant that you might want to ask about alternate options. Talk with your doctor and determine what the side effects are if you began experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.
Tinnitus might be caused by some common medications. Here are a few examples:
- Chemo
- Loop Diuretics
- Antibiotics
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
3. Headache, Seizures, And Blurred Vision Come With Tinnitus Noises
This may be a sign that high blood pressure is causing your tinnitus. The blood circulation in your inner ear is restricted when you have hypertension. Your general health is also at risk 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 when you leave a noisy setting like a factory, concert, aerobics class, or bar, then the place you were just in had noise levels above safe levels. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become irreversible the more frequently you disregard them and skip using ear protection. And it’s frequently accompanied by hearing loss.
If you are going to be exposed to loud noise, use the following to safeguard your hearing:
- Giving your ears a periodic break by stepping into the restroom or outside, if possible, at least once an hour
- Standing a little further away from loud speakers
- Wearing earplugs
If you work in a loud place, follow work rules regarding earmuffs and earplugs. Your safety gear will only successfully protect you if you use it correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
Whether you have ringing in your ears or not, you should never ignore facial paralysis. But when the tinnitus symptoms are come along with headaches, paralysis, and nausea, this may be a sign of a slow-growing benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma.
6. You Experience Fluctuating Hearing Loss With it
Are you experiencing hearing loss that comes and goes? Do you feel dizzy off and on? When accompanied by tinnitus, this indicates you need to be screened for Meniere’s disease. This causes your ears to ears get a fluid imbalance. Your risk of falling caused by lack of balance will get worse if this condition is left untreated.
Tinnitus is frequently a sign of hearing loss. So if you’re experiencing it, you need to get your hearing checked more frequently. Get in touch with us to make an appointment for a hearing test.
