Sensitive Hearing: Diminishing Tolerance to Sound
People have some tolerance limit to sound. At certain intensities, sound becomes intolerable for many. But there are people who suffer from sensitive hearing, and they are unable to withstand even ordinary noise. This hypersensitive hearing disorder occurs with or without hearing loss.
Sensitive hearing arises due to hyperacusis, phonophobia, and misophonia. Hyperacusis is a condition that arises from a shift in the processing of sound. Even average sound levels can trigger abnormal reaction as though excruciating noise is heard. In misophonia, only specific types of noise are disliked. People with misophonia detest some noises, which do not at all cause any reaction to the rest. Extreme aversion to noise is called phonophobia or fear of sound, which occurs in people who believe that any noise will cause damage to their hearing.
Abnormal hearing sensitivity may be selective, in which the affected patients may dislike only certain types, but not all, noises. For instance, clattering of kitchen utensils, scratching of boards or surfaces, creaking of doors, and blowing of car horns can irritate these people. However, they may be able to listen to other sounds, like music, even at higher volumes. A significant number of people with poor sound tolerance have hyperacusis, phonophobia, and misophonia. Hearing sensitivity may not be a product of damage to the inner ears. In many cases, failure of the brain to process sound properly leads to errors in sound perception.
Let us explain the mechanism behind sensitive hearing. As we know, the auditory nerve consists of thirty thousand fibers, which carry information to the brain. No hearing occurs until the impulses reach the conscious part of the brain. The brain does a complex task at such a very short span of time of processing the incoming impulses, filtering unwanted sound and amplifying perception of relevant sound impulses.
In the case of hypersensitive hearing, the brain reacts abnormally to what other people would regard as regular noises. The perceived excruciating noise gives rise to negative emotional reactions. People with hyperacusis or misophonia tend to avoid noises. Then they develop fear of sound or phonophobia. Soon this affects their daily life. They cannot have normal conversations with people. They cannot perform their duties normally. Even small noises can irritate them. Going to public places can become a dreadful thing.
Abnormal hearing sensitivity is caused by several factors. Frequent use of ototoxic medications can cause damage to the tiny delicate structures in the inner ears. Some antibiotics and antihistamines can cause damage to the inner ear in the long run. NSAIDs can cause such damage too. This damage leads to different hearing problems like tinnitus, hearing loss, and hyperacusis. Experts also think that stress is a huge factor in the collapse of hearing tolerance. This is probably because stress stimulates the release of certain chemicals in the body, which affect the ears and the brain. Physical injuries can also lead to damage to the auditory system. For instance, a person who suffered a whiplash may develop abnormal hearing sensitivity. People with malfunctioning brainstems may also have abnormal tolerance to noise and certain sounds. There could be other causes of sensitive hearing, but audiologists cannot possibly identify all causes.
There are different ways to treat hypersensitive hearing, but none of these methods are thought to be very effective. Doctors can prescribe medications to reduce sound intolerance. Some medications are antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, migraine medications, and anti-seizure drugs. Prolonged use of these drugs is not recommended at all because of considerable side effects.
Devices may also be used to counteract hyperacusis and other forms of hearing hypersensitivity. Two common devices are earplugs and tinnitus maskers. Earplugs, however, cannot offer long term benefits because they hinder the process of habituation. For you to be able to adapt to the noises, you should be able to hear them, and earplugs do the opposite. Tinnitus maskers, on the other hand, are designed especially for tinnitus sufferers. Masking devices help people be able to tolerate noise.
Sometimes abnormal hearing sensitivity is dealt with through psychological approaches. Counseling may be done to help patients understand that what they are going through is not threatening at all. A more thorough approach is retraining therapy, in which similar therapy applied to tinnitus sufferers is ordered. It is a combination of psychotherapy and sound therapy. One reason affected people should go to psychologists is to help them cope with depression or anxiety that develops as they suffer from their abnormal hearing.
Surgery becomes an ultimate option, but is only chosen if the patient is suffering from dysfunctional cochlea or severe hearing loss due to physical abnormalities within the hearing system.
There are certain things you should do to keep your suffering at a minimum. Exposure to noise should be avoided, especially loud sound or music, because it could damage your hearing further, leading to worsening case of your hypersensitive hearing. Caffeine and alcohol should be kept away, as they cause disturbances in your blood pressure and body chemistry. Also, avoid substances that trigger migraine; such substances include MSG, chocolate, and aged cheese. Certain medications should be discontinued; ask your doctor regarding safe drugs that are not ototoxic.
It Could Be An Underlying Medical Condition – Causes of Ear Ringing
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is not an infection or disease of sorts. Instead, it could just be one of the symptoms of a particular medical condition. It is like an alarm telling you that an unhealthy condition has taken place inside your body. It is then recommended that you go visit your doctor when you experience the unwanted sound to have the condition that you may be suffering from diagnosed. There are cases, though, when the root cause cannot be determined.
The causes of tinnitus include:
- Acoustic neuroma – It is a benign or noncancerous tumor. It is found to develop on the cranial nerve, which runs from the brain to the inner ear, controlling balance and hearing.
- Age-related loss of hearing – It is also known as presbycusis. It usually starts around age 60.
- Changes in ear bones – When the bones in the middle ear stiffen (otosclerosis), your hearing may get affected and result to tinnitis.
- Earwax blockage – It takes place when too much earwax accumulates, and it becomes difficult to wash away naturally.
- Meniere’s Disease – It as an inner ear disorder often associated with the fluctuations in the inner ear fluid volume.
- Noise-induced cochlear damage – It is basically caused by repeated exposure of the ears to loud noises. Playing portable music devices such as MP3 players loudly for long periods is a common cause of the condition.
- Ototoxicity – Long-term use of certain drugs may cause this. Drugs that are harmful to the ears are described as ototoxic. Common examples are analgesics (aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), antibiotics (aminoglycosides, erythromycin), and chemotherapy medications (bleomycin, methotrexate)
The causes of ear ringing are where the tinnitus treatments are generally directed to. Tests are run to have the source determined with a fair degree of certainty. Specialized tests may also have to be conducted. Examples are X-ray, ultrasound, audiogram, residual inhibition, and evoked response audiometry.
Furthermore, treatment options for ringing in the ears include alternative treatments, amplification (generally with the use of hearing aids), cochlear implants or electrical stimulation, cognitive therapy, drug therapy, and sound therapy.
Natural treatments should also be taken into consideration. These include reducing salt intake, exercising properly and regularly, getting enough sleep at night, and staying away from unhealthy habits such as smoking and excessive drinking. It would likewise help if you have a positive mental attitude and do not get stressed very easily.
How Ringing in Ear Will Affect Your Health
Ringing in ear or tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, so it already carries with it a health issue. But, this unwanted sound itself has its own negative effects on your overall health. Its consistency and loudness can impact your daily activities, add up to your daily stressors, and make you develop sleeping problem, specifically insomnia.
Stress is one of the results of ear ringing that should not be taken for granted. There are different factors that constantly stress you – bills, exams, upcoming exams, add to that the unwanted sound that can really get into your head. When stress is not properly managed, it can become a big problem. It has both physical and psychological implications. It can be the cause of reproductive problems, high blood pressure, irritability, and depression.
As stress is expected, especially if you have tinitus, you should make an effort to properly manage it. Find time to relax. Relaxation techniques include taking a deep breath, having a warm nice bath, or any activity that relaxes you. There are also treatments available, and counseling, hypnotherapy, and meditation are likely options.
Insomnia is another health risk that ringing in the ears can bring. As the unwanted sound tends to get louder in quiet environments, just like when you are about to sleep. In effect, you find it hard to fall asleep. Apparently, lack of sleep can make you easily get tired the following day. You may not be able to perform your tasks well, which can stress and frustrate you. Also, it tends to weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to various infections and diseases. And, you do not want this to happen to you, do you?
Many people who develop sleeping problems because of tinnitus find help in listening to white noise maskers. White noise is pleasant to listen to, and it can help you get a good sleep at night. Your stereo or television set can be a source of white noise, but commercial white noise maskers in CD and MP3 formats are also available if you are thinking of quality and convenience.
To counter the negative effects of ringing in ear, you also have to boost your immune system. It is basically about living a healthy lifestyle. Proper diet should be maintained as well as proper and regular exercise. Unhealthy habits must also be avoided, such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks.
Ringing Ears Treatments
Fighting against tinnitus usually takes a combination of ringing ears treatments. Because of certain factors to consider, a multidisciplinary approach is deemed necessary. Also, there are no standard tinnitus remedies for it because of these factors. What may have worked for others may not work for you, and vice versa.
One of the factors that need to be considered when looking into ringing ears treatments is the root cause of the ringing in your ears. You see, the unwanted sound is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, so it should be treated according to its cause. The causes vary, from ear disorders to circulatory problems. These include noise-induced cochlea damage, stress, sinus problems or allergies, Meniere’s Disease, age-associated hearing loss, whiplash injury, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), thyroid disorder, vitamin B12 deficiency, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and malformation of the capillaries.
To get the appropriate remedy, visit your physician so that he or she can conduct certain tests to determine the root cause of the ringing noise. You need a remedy that focuses on treating its root cause and not just its symptoms, and each of the homeopathic tinnitus treatment remedies does this. Unlike some conventional drugs such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and anticonvulsants, the homeopathic remedies do not have side effects.
The other considerations are your ability to manage stress and the state of your immune system. Stress should be managed properly as it tends to trigger or aggravate ear ringing. When you are stressed, you are most likely not to get enough sleep. As known, lack of sleep weakens the immune system, making you more exposed to various infections and diseases that can trigger and increase the symptoms of tinnitus. This can go on a vicious cycle, affecting your overall health.
Counseling, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, meditation, and relaxation therapy are some of the treatments that can help you manage stress. You can also go practical by talking to a friend, walking your dog, reading your book, or any activity that relaxes you. Furthermore, you can boost your immune system by taking an immune booster formula, backed up of course by a healthy lifestyle. When we say a healthy lifestyle, we basically mean having a proper diet, proper and regular exercise, and enough sleep at night.
The combination of ringing ears treatments that you are using may take some time to take effect, so do not get frustrated easily. What you need, more than anything else, is a positive attitude to get you through the whole process of fighting against tinnitus.
How To Stop Ringing in the Ears – Step-by-Step Guide
There is no single, standard treatment on how to stop ringing in the ears. As you might have known, it is not a disease of sorts but a symptom of an underlying medical condition, so there is practically no cure for it. But, this should not take away the all of the hope that you have to living a quiet life once again. If you cannot totally eliminate the unwanted sound, you can stop it from being a factor in your life.
Here’s how:
- Step 1. With the help of your physician, have the source of the unwanted sound determined.
Ringing in the ears is not a disease or infection of sorts but a symptom of an underlying medical condition. This means that it should be treated according to its cause. Your physician will conduct some tests to trace the source of the unwanted sound. There are also specialized tests available, examples of which include X-rays, audiogram, evoked response audiometry, and residual inhibition.
- Step 2. Get the appropriate homeopathic tinnitus remedy.
The homeopathic remedies are recommended because they are specifically prepared to focus on treating the root cause of ear ringing. There is actually a corresponding homeopathic remedy for each of the known main causes of tinnitis: noise-induced cochlear damage, stress, sinusitis or allergies, and Meniere’s Disease. Another advantage that the homeopathic remedies have is that they are considered natural, hence, they have no side effects unlike some conventional drugs.
- Step 3. Manage stress properly.
The homeopathic remedies will not much be of help if you are not able manage stress well as stress tends to trigger or aggravate the unwanted sound. Take time to relax. Write down your feelings, talk to a friend, have a warm nice bath, or any activity that relaxes you. Listening to white noise maskers may also help you relax, especially when you are about to sleep. Furthermore, treatments like counseling, hypnotherapy, and meditation may help you manage and control stress properly.
- Step 4. Make an effort to boost your immune system.
Do not be too complacent that your immune system is in a very good state as more often than not, people who have tinnitus have suppressed immune systems. Thus, efforts should be made to boost your immune system. It is for the reason that a suppressed immune system makes you more susceptible to infections and diseases that may increase the level of the ringing in your ears. Make sure that you maintain a proper diet, exercise regularly and keep yourself active most of the time, and get enough sleep at night. Making use of an immune booster formula may also be of help.
- Step 5. Be patient and determined.
How to stop ringing in the ears is not magic or an overnight process. It may take some time, so it is important that you stay positive and not get stressed and frustrated very easily.
