“What’s that annoying sound in my ears?” “How can I make that sound go away?”
You might be suffering from tinnitus, a common hearing affliction that manifests sounds in your ears that no one else can hear, if you find yourself making these types of remarks. This is more common than you may think. Tinnitus is a condition that affects millions of individuals.
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 significant might be the root 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
26% of individuals who have tinnitus experience symptoms continuously, based on some studies.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship issues are all possible consequences of this ever present ringing.
Something as simple as listening to your daughter share a recipe over the phone becomes a battle between her voice and the noise that overshadows it. You might snap at your grandson, who asks a simple question, because the ringing stresses you out.
A vicious cycle can be the outcome of this continuous ringing. The ringing gets louder as your stress level goes up. Loud noise makes you more nervous and so on.
If your tinnitus is leading to these types of life challenges, you shouldn’t ignore it. It’s real, and it affects your quality of life. There are treatment options that can significantly reduce or get rid of the noise in your ears.
2. After You Changed Medications, Your Ears Began to Ring
Whether you have persistent back pain or cancer, doctors might try several different medications to deal with the same condition. You might ask for an alternative solution if you begin to experience significant side effects. Talk with your doctor and learn what the side effects are if you started experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.
Tinnitus may be caused by some common medications. These include some forms of:
- Chemo
- 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)
3. Blurred Vision, Seizures, And Headache Come With Tinnitus Noises
This may be a sign that high blood pressure is causing your tinnitus. The blood flow in your inner ear is restricted when you suffer from hypertension. Your general health is also in danger with high blood pressure. Age related hearing loss, as time passes, will get worse because of this.
4. You Only Hear it After You Leave a Gym, Concert, or Work
If you only hear the tinnitus when you leave a noisy setting like a factory, concert, aerobics class, or bar, then the place you just left had noise levels above safe levels. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become permanent the more frequently you ignore them and skip using ear protection. And hearing loss will usually accompany it.
If you are going to be exposed to loud sound, use the following to safeguard your hearing:
- Giving your ears a regular break by going into the restroom or outside, if possible, at least once every hour
- Wearing earplugs
- Standing a little further away from loud speakers
If you work in a loud environment, follow work rules pertaining to earplugs and earmuffs. They’re designed to protect you, but they only work if you use protective gear correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
We hope you wouldn’t dismiss facial paralysis irrespective of whether you have ringing in your ears. But when the tinnitus symptoms are accompanied by paralysis, headaches, and nausea, this may be a sign of a slow-growing benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma.
6. You Experience Fluctuating Hearing Loss With it
Are you experiencing hearing loss that comes and goes? Are you sometimes dizzy? If these symptoms are happening along with tinnitus, you might need to get screened for Menier’s disease. This makes your ears get a fluid imbalance. Your risk of falling due to lack of balance will worsen if this condition is left untreated.
Tinnitus is frequently a sign of hearing loss. So you should get your hearing tested if you’re experiencing it. Call us to make an appointment.