“What’s that ringing in my ears?” “How can I make that noise go away?”
You could be dealing with tinnitus, a common hearing condition that manifests sounds in your ears that nobody else can hear, if you find yourself making these kinds of statements. You’re not by yourself. Millions of people have this disorder.
Ringing, buzzing, pulsing, or whistling are the noises that the majority of people describe.
Ringing in the ears may seem harmless, depending on its severity. But there are definitely times when you shouldn’t neglect it. Something more serious may be the underlying cause of these noises.
You should take the following 6 symptoms seriously.
1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life
Some studies reveal that 26% of people with tinnitus cope with that ringing on an almost continuous basis.
This annoying, ever-present noise can bring about all kinds of relationship problems, anxiety, insomnia, and even depression.
Something as easy as listening to your daughter share a recipe on the phone becomes a battle between her voice and the noise that overpowers it. The nonstop ringing has stressed you out to the point where you snap at a family member who asks you a question.
Continuous ringing can become a vicious cycle. As your stress level rises, the ringing gets louder. Loud noise makes you more nervous and so on.
If your tinnitus is leading to these types of life challenges, you shouldn’t neglect it. It’s there, and your life is being affected. The noise can be reduced or eliminated with obtainable treatment options.
2. The Noise in Your Ears Starts After You Change Medications
Whether you have chronic back pain or cancer, doctors may try several different medications to deal with the same condition. You may ask for a different option if you begin to experience significant side effects. Contact your doctor and learn what the side effects are if you began experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.
Some common medications might cause tinnitus. These include some forms of:
- Loop Diuretics
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
- Antibiotics
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
- Chemo
3. Blurred Vision, Seizures, And Headache Come With Tinnitus Noises
This might be a sign that high blood pressure is contributing to your tinnitus. The blood flow in your inner ear is restricted when you suffer from hypertension. Your overall health is also in danger with high blood pressure. Over time, it could cause or worsen age-related hearing loss.
4. You Only Hear it When Leaving a Concert, Gym, or Work
If you leave a noisy place like a bar, concert, factory, or fitness class, and you start to hear tinnitus noises, you were probably exposed to unsafe levels of noise and that’s most likely the cause of these noises. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become permanent the more often you disregard them and neglect using ear protection. And it’s usually accompanied by hearing loss.
If you’re going to be exposed to loud sound, use the following to safeguard your hearing:
- Using earplugs
- At least once an hour, step outside or into the restroom to give your ears a break
- Standing a little further away from loud speakers
If you work in a loud environment, follow work rules pertaining to earmuffs and earplugs. They’re made to protect you, but they only work if you wear protective gear correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
Whether you have ringing in your ears or not, you should never dismiss facial paralysis. But when the tinnitus symptoms are accompanied by paralysis, headaches, and nausea, this might be a sign of a slow-growing benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma.
6. You Experience Fluctuating Hearing Loss With it
Do you have hearing loss that seems to worsen, then get better, then worse again? Do you feel dizzy off and on? When accompanied by tinnitus, this means you need to be tested for Meniere’s disease. This causes your ears to ears get a fluid imbalance. Your risk of falling caused by lack of balance will get worse if this condition is left untreated.
Hearing loss is often signaled by tinnitus. So if you’re experiencing it, you should get your hearing examined more frequently. Contact us to set up an appointment.