If you have also felt that uncomfortable buzzing or ringing in your ears, you should know that it is much more common among the population than you imagine. This discomfort is a perceptual phenomenon called tinnitus or tinnitus that can only be perceived by the person who has it and that can be described in different ways; bells, sea noise, beeps, bells, etc.
This ailment is very annoying and prevents those who suffer from it from leading a normal and routine life, especially at bedtime.
Why do my ears ring: the main causes
Ringing in the ears is associated with various forms of deafness. These discomforts come from inside the ear and the most frequent causes are the following:
- Accumulation of earwax : the earwax is in your ear to prevent the entry of dust or foreign objects, as well as the growth of bacteria inside. However, it is more common than you think that this wax accumulates, which makes it difficult to wash the inside of the ear naturally, causing irritation and hearing loss.
- Exposure to loud noises : If you are exposed to loud noises for a long period of time, such as heavy machinery or very loud music on any device, it can lead to ringing or ringing in the ear.
- Aging : As you may already know, hearing gets worse as the years go by, so it is normal for seniors to experience ringing.
- Certain medications : Taking some medications can also cause your ears to ring, as this is a fairly common side effect of some treatments.
- Lack of oxygenation : if you are a smoker, you should bear in mind that tobacco use makes it difficult for your ears to oxygenate, so you may hear whistling.
- Infections – When bacteria invade your ear, it causes ringing and pain.
- Meniere's disease : This is the most common cause of tinnitus. It has to do with a set of disorders in the inner ear and, although the cause of this problem is not known, it is considered that it may come from the pressure or the mixture of the fluids that the inner ear contains. In addition to experiencing ringing, you may experience dizziness and/or constant severe headaches.
- Anxiety : If you have stress or anxiety, it is very likely that you will experience this problem, since you may suffer from an increase in blood pressure.
- Other causes : Although, as we have said, it is not usually a serious problem, other causes that can cause this uncomfortable ailment are tumors in the ears or brain, neck or head injuries, vascular injuries or intracranial hypertension and/or or blood.
Having high blood pressure is one of the main reasons why people experience buzzing or ringing when it's quiet. Many people suffer from tinnitus and experience severe headaches, as not being able to get rid of the ringing in their ears is very frustrating and stressful. However, it is important to stay calm, try to relax and seek help from a specialist who can recommend the best solutions.
Medications that cause ringing in the ears
As we have mentioned before, there are a number of medications whose side effects include ringing in the ears. These medications are the following:
- Aspirin, whose purpose is to relieve pain, inflammation and fever.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used to reduce hormones in the body that can cause pain.
- Some antidepressants such as the tricyclic amitriptyline can cause tinnitus to worsen or appear.
- Chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and vincristine.
- The antibiotics indicated for the elimination of infections that lead to inflammation of the large intestine, or those that are used to fight against other bacteria.
- Diuretics can also cause tinnitus and are used to increase urine output to remove excess water from your body.
Treatments for ringing in the ears
The truth is that there is no specific treatment to end tinnitus. However, there are many things that can help you overcome this uncomfortable ailment.
There are many home remedies that can help you get rid of ringing in the ears, although it depends on each case and the cause of the ringing specifically for you. You can also make use of some of these home remedies to prevent ringing in the ears :
- Perform a deep ear cleaning from time to time.
- Do not subject yourself to loud noises for long periods of time.
- Switch medications if they cause ringing in your ears.
- Take an occasional medication recommended by a professional to reduce the symptoms of the ailment.
- Eat a good diet and avoid foods with a lot of sugar, as well as coffee or tea, as these foods could increase pain. Eat fruits and vegetables to improve your immune system and reduce tinnitus.
- Chew dried fruits as this will improve your blood circulation.
- Exercising will help regulate your blood pressure and keep your tinnitus from getting worse. It will also keep you entertained and you will be in good physical and mental shape.
- Go to the doctor to control your blood pressure and sugar in your body, so you will know if they are at the right levels.
- It is recommended that during the night, especially while you sleep, you place a radio next to you and play relaxing music. This will help you neutralize the buzzing.
- Eliminate tobacco and alcohol from your routine life.
- Sleep at least eight hours, this will help you end tinnitus.
- Doing yoga can be a good option, since this practice can increase the levels of GABA in your body and reduce ringing in the ears. In addition, yoga will help you relax and avoid anxiety and stress that annoying noise can cause you.
What to do if your ears are ringing
As we have said before, there is no single key treatment that can make the tinnitus go away. Even so, with the advice that we have given you in the previous section, the safest thing is that you can prevent this discomfort from getting worse.
The first thing you should do if you start noticing ringing in your ears is to visit a specialist doctor to examine you, study your particular case and diagnose you correctly. This is essential because only a doctor will be able to determine if you have a significant injury to your ear, and only the specialist will be able to recommend the best treatment for your case. If you have suffered from this ailment for a long time and you have tried everything to put an end to the buzzing, only with a visit to the ENT doctor will you be able to find the definitive solution to this problem.
