How can I stop the ringing in my ears? Although we don’t yet know how to cure tinnitus, it’s symptoms can be reduced by recognizing what triggers it and makes it worse.
Scientists estimate that 32 percent of individuals experience a constant ringing, buzzing, or whooshing noise in their ears. This condition is called tinnitus, and it can wreak havoc. Individuals who suffer from this condition could have associative hearing loss and commonly have difficulty sleeping and concentrating.
There are measures you can take to reduce the symptoms, but because it’s commonly related to other health problems, there is no immediate cure.
Steer Clear of These Things to Reduce The Ringing
There are some things that have been shown to cause tinnitus symptoms or make them worse and these are the things you should avoid. Loud noise is one of the most common things that aggravate tinnitus. If you’re exposed to a noisy work place, wear earplugs and also try to avoid using headphones or earpods.
Some medications like anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and even high doses of aspirin can worsen the ringing so check with your doctor. Never stop taking your medications without first talking with your health care professional.
Other common causes of tinnitus include:
- high blood pressure
- jaw problems
- stress
- allergies
- other medical problems
- infections
- excessive earwax
Jaw Issues And Tinnitus
If for no other reason than their how close they are, your jaw and ears exhibit a certain amount of interplay between each other (they’re ideal neighbors, normally). That’s why problems with your jaw can result in tinnitus. TMJ, which is an affliction that causes the cartilage of the jaw to deteriorate, is the best example of this type of jaw problem. The ensuing stress produced by simple activities including chewing or speaking can ultimately result in tinnitus symptoms.
What can I do? The best thing you can do, if your tinnitus is caused by TMJ, is to seek medical or dental assistance.
Stress And The Ringing in my Ears
The affects of stress on the body are very real and very significant. Associated spikes in blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing can all lead to an increase of tinnitus symptoms. Consequently, stress can cause, worsen, and extend tinnitus episodes.
What can I do? If stress is a major cause of the buzzing or ringing in your ears, you can try solutions such as yoga and meditation to try to relieve stress. It might also help if you can reduce the general causes of stress in your life.
Excess Earwax
It’s totally healthy and normal for you to produce earwax. But too much earwax can irritate your eardrum, and start to cause buzzing or ringing in your ears. If you can’t wash away the earwax in a normal way because it has accumulated too much, the ensuing tinnitus can become worse.
What can I do? The easiest way to decrease the ringing in your ears caused by excessive earwax is to keep your ears clean! (Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears.) Some individuals generate more earwax than others; if this sounds like you, a professional cleaning might be in order.
High Blood Pressure Causes Tinnitus to Worsen
All sorts of health issues, such as tinnitus, can be caused by high blood pressure and hypertension. It becomes hard to ignore when high blood pressure intensifies the ringing or buzzing you’re already experiencing. There’s no cure for tinnitus, but there are treatments for high blood pressure.
What’s my solution? Disregarding high blood pressure is not something you should do. You’ll likely want to get medical treatment. But a lifestyle change, such as staying clear of foods with high salt content and exercising more, can help a lot. Hypertension and stress can raise your blood pressure triggering tinnitus, so try to find lifestyle changes and ways of relaxing to decrease stress (and, thus, tinnitus triggered by hypertension).
Will Using a White Noise or Masking Device Help my Tinnitus?
You can decrease 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 like, buy special masking devices or hearing aids to help.
You need to take it seriously if you have continuous ringing, buzzing, or whooshing in your ears. If you’re suffering from hearing loss or have health issues that are acting up, it might be a warning sign. Take steps to protect your ears from loud noises, find ways to distract your ears, and see a professional before what began as a nagging concern results in bigger issues.