Hearing Health Blog

Man with annoying ringing in the ears holds his ear.

How can I get rid of the ringing in my ears? There’s no cure for tinnitus, but learning about what causes or aggravates your symptoms can help you lessen or eliminate episodes.

A continuous buzzing, whooshing, or ringing in the ears is experienced by 32 percent of individuals according to experts. This condition is known as tinnitus, and it can wreak havoc. People who have this condition could have associative hearing loss and commonly have problems sleeping and concentrating.

Because it is usually connected to some other condition, there is no real cure for the tinnitus itself, but there are strategies you can take to quiet the noise.

What Should I Avoid to Reduce The Ringing in My Ears?

There are some things that are known to cause tinnitus symptoms or make them worse and these are the things you should steer clear of. Loud noise is one of the most prevalent things that worsen tinnitus. Try to avoid using headphones, and if you are exposed to noise at work or at home, get some high-quality earplugs to decrease the damage.

You should also talk to your doctor concerning your medications, as some antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and high doses of aspirin can make the ear ringing worse. Never stop taking your medications without first talking with your health care professional.

Other typical causes of tinnitus include:

  • allergies
  • jaw issues
  • stress
  • other medical problems
  • too much earwax
  • high blood pressure
  • infections

Tinnitus And Problems With The Jaw

Your ears and jaw are closely related. This is why jaw problems can result in tinnitus. The best example of this is a condition called Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ for short), which comprises a breakdown of the shock-absorbing cartilage around the joints in your jaw. The resulting stress produced by simple activities including speaking or chewing can ultimately result in tinnitus symptoms.

Is there anything that can be done? The best thing you can do, if your tinnitus is brought on by TMJ, is to find medical or dental help.

How is The Ringing in my Ears Related to Stress?

The affects of stress on the body are very real and very serious. Associated surges in heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure can all lead to an intensification of tinnitus symptoms. Stress, consequently, can trigger, worsen, and lengthen bouts of tinnitus.

What can I do? If your tinnitus is brought on by stress, you need to find ways of de-stressing. Taking some time to minimize the stress in your life (whenever you can) will also help.

Excessive Earwax

Earwax is completely normal and healthy. But too much earwax can irritate your eardrum, and start to cause buzzing or ringing in your ears. The resulting tinnitus can worsen if the earwax keeps accumulating or becomes hard to wash away in a normal way.

How can I deal with this? Keeping your ears clean without using cotton swabs is the simplest way to minimize ringing in the ears caused by earwax. In certain situations, you might need to seek out a professional cleaning so that you can get the ringing or buzzing to go away (some people just naturally produce a lot more earwax than others).

High Blood Pressure Makes Tinnitus Worse

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause all kinds of health issues, such as tinnitus. It becomes difficult to ignore when high blood pressure intensifies the ringing or buzzing you’re already hearing. High blood pressure has treatment options which may lessen tinnitus symptoms in related situations.

What can be done? High blood pressure is not something you want to dismiss. You’ll probably need to seek out medical treatment. But a lifestyle change, like avoiding foods with high salt content and exercising more, can help a lot. Hypertension and stress can raise your blood pressure resulting in tinnitus, so try to find lifestyle changes and ways of relaxing to minimize stress (and, thus, tinnitus brought about by hypertension).

Can I Relieve my Tinnitus by utilizing a Masking Device or White Noise Generator?

You can minimize the impact of the nonstop noise in your head by distracting your ears and your brain. You don’t even have to get special equipment, your radio, TV or computer can work as masking devices. You can, if you like, buy specialized masking devices or hearing aids to help.

You need to take it seriously if you have constant ringing, buzzing, or whooshing in your ears. If you’re suffering from hearing loss or have health issues that are acting up, it could be a warning sign. Take measures to safeguard your ears from loud noises, look for ways to distract your ears, and see a professional before what started out as a nagging concern causes bigger issues.

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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