Why is There Ringing in my Ears?

Man with incessant ringing in the ears holding his head.

Let’s set the stage: you’re lying in bed at night attempting to chill out after a long, stressful day. Your eyelids are getting heavy and you know that your about to fall asleep. Then you start to hear it: a ringing sound in your ears. Your phone, TV, and radio are all turned off so you’re sure it’s nothing inside your room. No, this noise is coming from within your ears and you’re not sure how to make it stop.

If this situation has happened to you, then chances are that you’re one of the 50 million people who have tinnitus. Ringing, Buzzing, and a range of other sounds will be heard in your ears when you have this problem. The majority of people suffering from tinnitus consider it a mere irritation; they notice it now and again but it doesn’t really affect their daily lives. But this is not the situation with everybody who is suffering from tinnitus. For some, it can cause them to lose sleep, to disengage socially, and to have a hard time working.

What Causes Tinnitus?

Tinnitus remains somewhat of a mystery, but experts have focused in on a few triggers for this condition. It appears mostly in individuals who have damaged hearing, and also people who suffer from heart conditions. It’s believed that tinnitus happens due to limited blood flow around the ears, which makes the heart pump blood harder so that it can get where it needs to go. People who have iron-deficiency anemia frequently suffer from tinnitus symptoms because their blood cells do not carry enough oxygen throughout their body, which, once again, makes the heart work extra hard to get oxygen and other nutrients where they need to go.

Tinnitus also occurs as a symptom of other conditions, such as Meniere’s disease, ear infections, and ear canal blockages. Situations where tinnitus becomes more pronounced happen with all of these condition because they all impact the hearing. In other situations, there might not be an easily discernible cause of tinnitus, which can make treatment challenging, but not impossible.

What Treatments Are Available For Tinnitus?

There are a number of treatments out there to help stop the ringing in your ears, all dependent on the underlying cause of your tinnitus. One significant thing to take note of, however, is that there is presently no known cure for tinnitus. But these treatments can still offer a good possibility for your tinnitus to improve or go away completely.

Studies have revealed that hearing aids help mask tinnitus in people who have hearing loss.

If covering up the noise isn’t helpful, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to help people live with the buzzing in their ears that doesn’t disappear with other treatments. This kind of mental health treatment helps people turn their negative thoughts about tinnitus into more positive, realistic thoughts that help them function normally on a day to day basis.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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