“What’s that ringing in my ears?” “Why won’t that noise stop?”
You could be suffering from tinnitus, a common hearing disorder that manifests sounds in your ears that nobody else can hear, if you find yourself making these kinds of statements. You’re not alone. Tinnitus is a condition that impacts millions of people.
Most describe it as ringing in the ears, but it can also sound like a pulsing noise, a dial tone, whistling, or buzzing.
Depending on the intensity, ringing in the ears might seem harmless. But there are definitely times when you shouldn’t ignore it. Something more significant may be the underlying cause of these sounds.
Here are 6 tinnitus symptoms you should take seriously.
1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life
Some research suggests that 26% of people with tinnitus cope with that ringing on an almost continuous basis.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship issues are all possible consequences of this ever present ringing.
Something as easy as listening to your daughter share a recipe on the phone becomes a battle between her voice and the noise that overshadows it. You may snap at your grandson, who asks a simple question, because the ringing stresses you out.
A vicious cycle can be the result of this continuous ringing. The ringing gets louder as your stress level rises. Loud noise makes you more anxious and so on.
If tinnitus is causing these kinds of life challenges, it’s time to deal with it. It’s real, and it affects your quality of life. The noise can be reduced or eliminated with obtainable treatment options.
2. After You Changed Medications, Your Ears Started to Ring
Doctors may try numerous different medications to manage the same condition whether you have cancer or chronic pain. You may ask for an alternative solution if you begin to experience significant side effects. If your tinnitus started or got significantly worse after you started a new drug, check that list of side effects and talk to your doctor.
Tinnitus might be caused by some common medications. Here are a few examples:
- Chemo
- Loop Diuretics
- Antibiotics
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
3. Blurred Vision, Seizures, And Headache Come With Tinnitus Noises
This might be a sign that high blood pressure is contributing to your tinnitus. When you have hypertension, the blood circulation to your inner ear is restricted. Unregulated high blood pressure is also dangerous for your general health. Age related hearing loss, over time, will worsen because of this.
4. You Always Seem to be Leaving Work, The Gym, or a Concert When You Hear it
If you leave a noisy place such as a bar, concert, factory, or fitness class, and you begin to hear tinnitus noises, you were probably exposed to unsafe noise levels and that’s most likely the cause of these noises. If you neglect this episodic tinnitus and don’t begin to protect your ears, it will likely become constant over time. And it’s commonly accompanied by hearing loss.
If you are going to be exposed to loud sound, use the following to safeguard your hearing:
- Not standing too close to the speakers
- Using earplugs
- Giving your ears a periodic break by stepping into the restroom or outside, if possible, at least once every hour
Adhere to the rules pertaining to earmuffs and earplugs if you work in a loud environment. 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 ignore facial paralysis. But when you have paralysis, nausea, headaches, and you also have tinnitus, it’s possible that you might 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? If these symptoms are happening along with tinnitus, you may need to get tested for Menier’s disease. This causes your ears to ears get a fluid imbalance. If left untreated, it often gets worse and may increase your risks of serious falls due to lack of balance.
Tinnitus is often a sign of hearing loss. So you should have your hearing checked if you’re experiencing it. Reach out to us to make an appointment for a hearing test.