What Causes Ringing in the Ears
Millions of people who have tinnitus ask the core question. What causes ringing in the ears? This query sounds quite simple but knowing the causes of tinnitus and identifying what might have caused yours are two different matters. We have written here the usual questions cast by everybody about this ear condition.
• What should I avoid to prevent tinnitus? There are lots of things you can do to avoid tinnitus and any ear damage. Taking care of your hearing starts with being sensitive to the volume of sound you are listening to. People disregard the hazards that may result from playing stereos, CD players, iPods, and mp3 players at high volumes. Loud music is as equally damaging as loud noise. Frequent visits to disco pubs, bars, and rock concerts expose you to potentially damaging sound intensity. Protect your ears by staying away from excessive sound or covering your ears.
• How does excessive noise cause hearing impairment? Many people do not understand that they are at risk around excessive noise. Prolonged exposure to loud sound destroys the cochlear hair cells. These cells, found in the inner ear, transmit electrical signals to the brain. Injured cells malfunction and, when they do, they send abnormal impulses, which the brain picks up as noise or tinnitus. This is what causes ringing in the ears.
• Is hearing impairment reversible? When cochlear damage is sustained hearing loss is imminent. Thus hearing loss and tinnitus may occur at the same time in cases of acoustic trauma. Scientists know that when hair cells are destroyed, they are no longer functional and damage is irreparable. This suggests that there is a poor chance to regain normal hearing. But there are cases when people recover and normal hearing is restored. It does not happen to everyone though.
• What are the indications that noise is at a damaging level? This is a vital question. Most of us do not know what to avoid because of ignorance and lack of information. Perhaps you do not know what we mean when we say loud noise. If you think only sound that starts to hurt the ears is damaging, you are mistaken. Suppose you are in an area where there is too much ambient noise that you have to shout over the noise in order to be heard and understood, this is what we call the danger limit. Do not stay long in this place.
Whether you are a ringing ear sufferer or not, you to know what causes ringing in the ears to know what to avoid to halt progress of your condition or to prevent getting annoying noises inside your ears.
Is The Tinnitus or The Blocked Ears My Problem?
Hi John,
I have a question for you. I’m 62 and have had tinnitus for many years. When I was very young I had numerous ear infections and several perforated ear drums.
During the 60′s I flew in Navy jets and ended up with about 2,500 flight hours. It wasn’t until the second half of those flight hours that the Navy realized that the noise from the jet engines could be harmful and started a hearing loss program and required us to wear ear plugs.
During the past 20 years I have had numerous sinus infections and finally had two sinus surgeries that have now stopped the infections. My ears constantly feel “full” and I need to clear them frequently by plugging my nose, closing my mouth and blowing out. My ears will plug easily with changes in elevation.
On the rare occasion that my ears are relatively clear, the tinnitus is much less of a problem so my thought is that its not the tinnitus as much as it is the inability of my ears to clear or stay clear.
I have been to several ear specialists and allergy specialists but without any help. any thoughts?
Thanks.
Tom D.
(Name Shortened For Privacy Reasons)
John Replies.
Hello Tom,
It is our experience that the tinnitus experienced by people who have had habitual problems with sinus problems is caused from a thickening of the mucous in the middle ear. There are many mucous membranes in the ear that provide a vital function. These continually produce the mucous that is essential for cleansing the middle ear.
After performing it’s cleasing action the mucous drain away from the middle ear via the Eustachian tubes which are very narrow. If anything occurs to cause the mucous to become slightly less viscous, i.e. it becomes slightly thicker than normal, it will not easily drain away from the middle ear.
This results in that “full” feeling one sometimes experiences. This condition causes many problems including ear infections and tinnitus.
You will find more information regarding this condition, which we call sinus tinnittus, and how best to treat it at the link immediately below this paragraph.
Ear Ringing Constantly: An Overview
Tinnitus is becoming a common ear malady due to the increasing susceptibility of people to factors that bring about the problem. It accompanies hearing loss in most cases, as most cases are due to exposure to loud noise. Experts, however, point that lots of cases of this ear problem are due to poor lifestyle. Ear ringing constantly is attributed to tinnitus, being the usual symptom that characterize the disorder, though ear specialists would confirm that tinnitus may be in form of other ear or head noises such as buzzing, hissing, or humming noises, which can be annoying at times.
There are two types of tinnitus: objective tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. The first one is the rare form and occurs in about 3% of all the cases. It is also called pulsatile tinnitus because it is often heard as pulsing, thumping noise that sometimes accompanies heartbeat or breathing. The sound is rhythmic. This one may be heard by another person by leaning forward near the patient’s ears or by a doctor using his stethoscope. The other type is subjective tinnitus, occurring in the rest majority of the cases, and is a type which can only be heard by the affected himself.
Ear ringing constantly is caused by so many factors. The first is excessive noise exposure. Loud noise has been blamed to many cases of sensorineural hearing loss. This kind of deafness occurs as a result of cochlear trauma due to continual exposure to loud noises – vehicle horns, engines, lawnmowers, factory noise, loud speakers etc. Another cause is earwax build-up causing obstructive hearing loss and tinnitus.
Ear infections may cause fluid and pressure build-up in the middle ear causing damage which may lead to ringing symptoms. Some prescription and non-prescription medicines also cause ringing in the ears. These drugs are termed ototoxic and include aspirin, ibuprofen, antibiotics, antihistamines and chemotherapy drugs. Ringing ears is also a malady of the elderly due to the natural wear and tear process. Head trauma is another disorder that gives rise to tinnitus occasionally. Vascular problems like atherosclerosis, anemia, hypotension and hypertension may cause pulsatile tinnitus. Stress is also accompanied with tinnitus in a process that seems like a loop as stress causes or worsens tinnitus and tinnitus causes stress, too.
There are many treatments available for tinnitus. One is wearing ear maskers – devices that produce white noise that covers ear noise. During the onset of the problem, patients are given anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants to help them cope with their condition. Relaxation techniques, tinnitus retraining therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, cochlear implants, and in rare cases surgery are treatment options.
The Negative Effect of Stress on Our Health
It has been found that up to 90% of all health problems may be related or have something to do with stress. This just goes to show that the negative effect of stress on our health cannot be ignored. And, we are not only talking about physical health, but we are also talking about emotional and mental health or the overall well-being for that matter.
You may be surprised to know that almost all systems in our body get affected by long term stress exposure. For the central nervous system, there is the development of conditions like depression, anxiety, and fatigue. For the cardiovascular system, on the other hand, there is impaired heart function as well as the constriction of the peripheral blood vessels, which results to high blood pressure. Then there is asthma (respiratory system), muscular aches (musculoskeletal), stomach upsets (digestive), viral illnesses (immune), menstrual disorders (endocrine), and infertility (reproductive).
It can also affect us emotionally and mentally. Its emotional and mental effects include irritability, a sense of loneliness and isolation, agitation, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, and constant worrying. There are also tendencies of using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax, overeating or undereating, sleeping too much or little, and neglecting responsibilities.
Getting stressed is normal. We get stressed before an important occasion like graduation day, when moving to a new neighborhood, or when preparing for a trip. We also get stressed when we are ill, when we lose a loved one, or driving home in heavy traffic. However, when there is too much stress and we are exposed to it for a long period of time, problems do arise.
It is then essential that we know how to manage and control stress. We can start by focusing on our physical health first. We should eat a balanced diet and get a proper and regular exercise, helping the body build strength and immunity against the physical effects of being exposed to various stressors. We should also learn to find time for healthy relaxation activities. Having a positive outlook in life and a strong support system from your family and network of friends are also vital.
What may be stressful to you may not be stressful to me, though. And, the degree of the effect of stress on us depend on certain factors. These include our physical health, the quality of our interpersonal relationships, the weight and number of responsibilities that we have, and how much support we receive from the people around us.
Definition of Stress and Some Tips On How To Manage It
The definition of stress is highly relative. We can refer to how Hans Selye defines it as nonspecific response of the body to any demand for change. Another way of defining it is that it is a condition or feeling when an individual perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources he or she is able to mobilize. But, most people would simply regard it as a feeling of emotional, mental, or physical tension.
What may be stressful for you may not be stressful for me. For instance, you may find yourself enjoying while participating in a competition while I am thinking when the competition is going to end. People also have different levels of tolerance for particularly stressful situations such as natural catastrophes and death in the family.
While the mention of the word stress makes us think of negative feelings, it is necessary to make us motivated and productive, however. It is what makes us wake up early in the morning, prepare for an upcoming exam, and finish our tasks on time. But it can really be harmful to our overall health when there is too much of it that the body cannot positively respond to. Thus, the importance of being able to manage it properly cannot be overemphasized.
Here are some stress management tips that you can make use of:
- Find time to relax. Your daily schedule should include some relaxation time. And when it is relaxation time, it should be relaxation time. Set aside your obligations. Be sure, though, that you avoid unhealthy coping strategies such as smoking, excessive drinking, overeating or undereating, and sleeping too much.
- Express your feelings. Have someone that you are comfortable sharing what you are feeling with, be he or she a loved one, a trusted friend, or even a professional counselor.
- Have a healthy lifestyle. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep are some of the basic practices that help keep your body healthy. You should understand that the healthier your body is, the better prepared it is to positively respond to stressful situations.
Indeed, the definition of stress varies as much as each of the things that distresses us. Thus, we should know those things so that we can avoid them. However, tragic situations just do happen where we cannot help but be overly distressed. In times like those, it would not hurt if we keep in mind that we have a support system in the persons of our family and friends.
