What’s the best way to stop the ringing in my ears? There’s no cure for tinnitus, but knowing what causes or aggravates your symptoms can help you lessen or eliminate flare-ups.
A constant whooshing, buzzing, or ringing in the ears is experienced by 32 percent of individuals according to researchers. This condition is known as tinnitus, and it can wreak havoc. Individuals who have this condition could have associative hearing loss and often have difficulty sleeping and concentrating.
Because it is usually 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.
What Should I Stay Away From to Minimize The Ringing in My Ears?
The first step in dealing with that continuous ringing in your ears is to steer clear of the things that have been shown to cause it or make it worse. Loud noise is one of the most prevalent things that intensify tinnitus. If you deal with a noisy work environment, wear earplugs and also try to avoid using headphones or earpods.
Some medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and even high doses of aspirin can make the ringing worse so check with your doctor. Be certain you consult your doctor before you discontinue your medication.
Other common causes of tinnitus include:
- stress
- high blood pressure
- allergies
- too much earwax
- other medical issues
- problems with the jaw
- infections
Jaw Problems And Tinnitus
If for no other reason than their physical proximity, your jaw and ears have a certain amount of interplay between each other (they’re excellent neighbors, usually). This is the reason jaw problems can result in tinnitus. TMJ, which is a condition that causes the cartilage of the jaw to deteriorate, is the best example of this type of jaw issue. Tinnitus can be the result of the stress of basic activities such as chewing.
What can I do? The best thing you can do, if your tinnitus is caused by TMJ, is to find medical or dental assistance.
Stress And That Ringing in my Ears
Stress can impact your body in very real, very physical ways. Increase of tinnitus symptoms can be brought on by surges in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. Consequently, stress can cause, worsen, and extend tinnitus episodes.
Can I do anything to help? If stress is a substantial cause of the buzzing or ringing in your ears, you can try solutions like meditation and yoga to try to relieve stress. It might also help if you can decrease the overall causes of stress in your life.
Excessive Earwax
Earwax is totally normal and healthy. But excessive earwax can aggravate your eardrum, and begin to cause ringing or buzzing in your ears. If you can’t wash out the earwax normally because it has built up too much, the ensuing tinnitus can worsen.
What can be done? The easiest way to minimize 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 instances, you might need to seek out a professional cleaning in order to get the buzzing and ringing to go away (some people just naturally make a lot more earwax than others).
Tinnitus is Worsened by High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can create all kinds of health issues, such as tinnitus. It becomes hard to ignore when high blood pressure intensifies the buzzing or ringing you’re already experiencing. High blood pressure has treatment which might decrease tinnitus symptoms in related situations.
What can be done? Neglecting high blood pressure is not something you want to do. You’ll likely want to get medical treatment. But you can also change your lifestyle somewhat: stay away from foods with high salt or fat content and get more exercise. Hypertension and stress can increase your blood pressure resulting in tinnitus, so try to find lifestyle changes and ways of relaxing to reduce stress (and, thus, hypertension-related tinnitus).
Can I Decrease my Tinnitus by Using a White Noise Generator or Masking Device?
If you distract your ears and brain, you can decrease the effects of the continual noise in your ears. Your TV, radio, or computer can be used as a masking device so you don’t even need any special equipment. You can, if you like, get specialized masking devices or hearing aids to help.
You should take it seriously if you have constant ringing, whooshing, or buzzing in your ears. If you’re experiencing hearing loss or have health concerns that are acting up, it could be a warning sign. Before what began as an annoying problem becomes a more serious issue, take steps to protect your ears and if the ringing continues, get professional hearing help.