“Why am I hearing a ringing noise in my ears?” “Make that noise stop!”
You may be suffering from tinnitus, a common hearing affliction that manifests sounds in your ears that nobody else can hear, if you find yourself making these kinds of statements. You’re not alone. Millions of people have this disorder.
Most describe it as ringing in the ears, but it can also sound like a dial tone, pulsing noise, whistling, or buzzing.
Depending on the severity, ringing in the ears may seem harmless. But tinnitus shouldn’t always be disregarded. Something more significant may be the root cause of these sounds.
Here are 6 tinnitus symptoms you really should take seriously.
1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life
26% of individuals who suffer from tinnitus cope with symptoms continuously, according to some studies.
This annoying, ever-present noise can bring about all kinds of relationship problems, anxiety, insomnia, and even depression.
Something as basic as listening to your daughter share a recipe on the phone becomes a struggle between her voice and the noise that overshadows it. You might snap at your grandson, who simply asks a question, because the ringing stresses you out.
A vicious cycle can be the outcome of this constant ringing. As your stress level rises, the ringing gets louder. And you get more anxious the louder the noise is and on and on.
If tinnitus is contributing to these types of life challenges, it’s time to address it. It’s real, and it impacts your quality of life. There are treatment options that can considerably reduce or eliminate the noise in your ears.
2. The Noise in Your Ears Manifests After You Switch Medications
Doctors may try various different medications to treat the same ailment whether you have cancer or chronic pain. You might ask for an alternative if you start to experience significant side effects. Consult with your doctor and find out what the side effects are if you began experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.
Some common medications may cause tinnitus. Here are a few examples:
- Loop Diuretics
- Chemo
- 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. It’s Accompanied by Blurred Vision, Headache, or Seizures
This might be a sign that high blood pressure is contributing to your tinnitus. When you have hypertension, the flow of blood to your inner ear is compromised. High blood pressure that goes unmanaged is also dangerous for your general health. Over time, it could cause or worsen age-related hearing loss.
4. You Always Seem to be Leaving Work, The Gym, or a Concert When You Hear it
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 more than 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 enjoy a noisy night out, take precautions like:
- Wearing earplugs
- Not standing too close to the speakers
- At least once an hour, step outside or into the restroom to give your ears a break
Follow the rules regarding earmuffs and earplugs if you work in a noisy setting. They’re designed to protect you, but they only work if you use protective gear correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
Whether you have ringing in your ears or not, you should never disregard facial paralysis. But when you have nausea, paralysis, headaches, and you also have tinnitus, it’s possible that you may have an acoustic neuroma (a slow growing benign brain tumor).
6. You Experience Fluctuating Hearing Loss With it
Are you experiencing hearing loss that comes and goes? Do you feel dizzy off and on? When accompanied by tinnitus, this indicates you need to be tested for Meniere’s disease. This makes your ears get a fluid imbalance. Your risk of falling caused by lack of balance will get worse if this condition is left untreated.
Tinnitus is often a sign of hearing loss. So you should get your hearing examined if you’re experiencing it. Reach out to us to make an appointment for a hearing test.