What’s the best way to relieve the ringing in my ears? There’s no cure for tinnitus, but learning about what causes or exacerbates your symptoms can help you lessen or avoid episodes.
Researchers estimate that 32 percent of people have a nonstop buzzing, ringing, or whooshing noise in their ears. This condition is called tinnitus, and it can wreak havoc. People who hear these noises have problems sleeping and concentrating, and they could also have associated hearing loss.
Because it is normally related to some other affliction, there is no real cure for the tinnitus itself, but there are strategies you can take to quiet the noise.
Avoid These Things to Reduce The Ringing
The first step in dealing with that continuous ringing in your ears is to steer clear of the things that are known to cause it or make it worse. One of the most prevalent things that worsen tinnitus is loud noises. Try to avoid using headphones, and if you are subjected to noise at work or at home, get some high-quality earplugs to decrease the damage.
Certain medications such as 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 consulting your health care professional.
Other common causes of tinnitus include:
- allergies
- excessive earwax
- other medical problems
- stress
- jaw problems
- high blood pressure
- infections
Jaw Problems And Tinnitus
If for no other reason than their how close they are, your ears and jaw have a certain amount of interplay between them (they’re ideal neighbors, normally). This is the reason jaw problems can result in tinnitus. The best example of this is a condition called Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ for short), which involves a breakdown of the shock-absorbing cartilage around the joints in your jaw. The ensuing stress created by simple activities including chewing or speaking can ultimately result in tinnitus symptoms.
What can I do? If your tinnitus is triggered by TMJ symptoms, then the best way to get relief is to seek out dental or medical treatment for the underlying cause.
How is The Ringing in my Ears Linked to Stress?
Stress can impact your body in very real, very physical ways. Associated surges in heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure can all bring on an intensification of tinnitus symptoms. Stress, consequently, can trigger, worsen, and extend bouts of tinnitus.
Can I do anything to help? If stress is a major cause of the ringing or buzzing in your ears, you can try solutions such as meditation and yoga to try to de-stress. Taking some time to decrease the stress in your life (whenever you can) could also help.
Excessive Earwax
It’s completely normal and healthy for you to produce earwax. But ringing and buzzing can be the result of excessive earwax pressing on your eardrum. If you can’t wash out the earwax in a normal way because it has accumulated too much, the ensuing tinnitus can become worse.
What can I do? The simplest way to decrease the ringing in your ears caused by excessive earwax is to make sure your ears are clean! (Don’t use cotton swabs in your ears.) In some situations, you might need to get a professional cleaning so that you can get the buzzing and ringing to go away (some people just normally make a lot more earwax than others).
Tinnitus is Worsened by High Blood Pressure
A myriad of health conditions, such as tinnitus, can be caused by high blood pressure and hypertension. It becomes hard to ignore when high blood pressure escalates the buzzing or ringing you’re already experiencing. High blood pressure has treatment which may lessen tinnitus symptoms in related situations.
What’s my solution? High blood pressure isn’t something you want to ignore. You’ll probably need to get medical treatment. But you can also change your lifestyle a bit: steer clear of foods with high fat or salt content and get more exercise. Hypertension and stress can raise your blood pressure resulting in tinnitus, so try to find lifestyle changes and relaxation techniques to minimize stress (and, thus, hypertension-related tinnitus).
Will Using a White Noise or Masking Device Help my Tinnitus?
You can reduce the impact of the nonstop noise in your head by distracting your ears and your brain. You don’t even have to purchase special equipment, your radio, TV or laptop can work as masking devices. You can, if you like, buy specialized masking devices or hearing aids to help.
If you experience a constant ringing, whooshing, or buzzing sound in your ears, be serious about the problem. It may be a warning sign that you also have hearing loss, or that you are experiencing a medical problem that needs to be resolved before it gets worse. Take steps to safeguard 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 problems.
