What’s the best way to stop the ringing in my ears? There’s no cure for tinnitus, but recognizing what causes or exacerbates your symptoms can help you minimize or prevent flare-ups.
A constant whooshing, buzzing, or ringing in the ears is experienced by 32 percent of individuals according to experts. This condition is known as tinnitus, and it can lead to real problems. People who hear these sounds have difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and they might also have associated hearing loss.
Because it is normally connected to some other affliction, there is no real cure for the tinnitus itself, but there are steps you can take to quiet the noise.
Steer Clear of These Things to Reduce The Ringing
The first step in addressing that continuous ringing in your ears is to avoid the things that have been shown to cause it or make it worse. One of the most common things that aggravate tinnitus is loud sounds. If you’re exposed to a noisy work place, wear earplugs and also try to avoid using headphones or earpods.
Certain medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and even high doses of aspirin can make the ringing worse so check with your doctor. Make certain you speak with your doctor before you discontinue your medication.
Here are some other common causes:
- jaw issues
- stress
- high blood pressure
- infections
- too much earwax
- allergies
- other medical problems
Tinnitus And Problems With The Jaw
If for no other reason than their physical proximity, your jaw and ears have a certain amount of interplay between them (they’re ideal neighbors, usually). That’s why problems with your jaw can result in tinnitus. The best example of this is an affliction called Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ for short), which entails a breakdown of the shock-absorbing cartilage around the joints in your jaw. Tinnitus can be the result of the stress of simple activities such as chewing.
What can I do? The best thing you can do, if your tinnitus is brought on by TMJ, is to seek medical or dental help.
Stress And The Ringing in my Ears
Stress can impact your body in very real, very tangible ways. Intensification of tinnitus symptoms can be brought on by surges in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. As a result, stress can cause, worsen, and lengthen tinnitus episodes.
Can I do anything to help? If your tinnitus is brought on by stress, you should determine ways of reducing stress. Taking some time to decrease the stress in your life (whenever you can) will also help.
Excess Earwax
It’s totally normal and healthy for you to produce earwax. But buzzing or ringing can be the result of too much earwax pushing on your eardrum. The ensuing tinnitus can worsen if the earwax continues to accumulate or becomes hard to wash away normally.
What can be done? Keeping your ears clean without utilizing cotton swabs is the easiest way to decrease ringing in the ears induced by earwax. Some people produce more earwax than others; if this applies to you, a professional cleaning may be necessary.
High Blood Pressure Makes Tinnitus Worse
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause a myriad of health conditions, such as tinnitus. High blood pressure can intensify the buzzing or ringing you’re already hearing, making it difficult to ignore. High blood pressure has treatment which could reduce tinnitus symptoms in related situations.
What’s my solution? High blood pressure isn’t something you want to dismiss. You’ll likely want to get medical treatment. But a lifestyle change, such as staying away from foods with high salt content and getting more exercise, can help a lot. Stress can also increase your blood pressure, so try doing relaxation techniques or changing your lifestyle can also improve hypertension (and, thus, hypertension-related tinnitus).
Will Using a Masking Device or White Noise Device Help my Tinnitus?
You can reduce the effects of the continual noise in your head by distracting your ears and your brain. You don’t even have to get special equipment, your radio, TV or computer can work as masking devices. You can, if you prefer, get special masking devices or hearing aids to help.
You should take it seriously if you have constant ringing, whooshing, or buzzing in your ears. It may be a warning sign that you also have hearing loss, or that you are going through a medical issue that needs to be addressed before it worsens. Before what started as an aggravating problem becomes a more severe issue, take measures to protect your ears and if the ringing continues, find professional hearing help.