“Why am I hearing a ringing noise in my ears?” “How can I make that sound go away?”
If you find yourself saying things like this, you might have tinnitus, a common hearing problem where you hear noises or experience a sound that others can’t hear. You’re not by yourself. Millions of individuals have this condition.
Ringing, pulsing, whistling, or buzzing are the noises that most people describe.
Depending on the intensity, ringing in the ears may seem harmless. But tinnitus shouldn’t always be ignored. Tinnitus symptoms can frequently be a sign of something more significant going on in your body.
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 constantly, based on some studies.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship problems are all possible consequences of this ever present ringing.
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 may snap at your grandchild, who simply asks a question, because the ringing makes you stressed.
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 kinds of life challenges, it’s time to address it. It’s there, and your life is being affected. There are treatment choices that can considerably reduce or eliminate the noise in your ears.
2. The Noise in Your Ears Starts After You Switch Medications
Whether you have persistent back pain or cancer, doctors may try numerous different medications to deal with the same condition. You may ask for a different option if you begin to experience severe side effects. Consult with your doctor and learn 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:
- Antibiotics
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
- Chemo
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
- Loop Diuretics
3. Headache, Seizures, And Blurred Vision Come With Tinnitus Noises
This may be a sign that high blood pressure is contributing to your tinnitus. The blood circulation in your inner ear is compromised when you suffer from hypertension. Unregulated high blood pressure is also a risk to your overall health. Age related hearing loss, over time, will worsen because of this.
4. You Only Hear it After You Leave a Gym, Concert, or Work
If you only hear the tinnitus after you leave a noisy place like a concert, aerobics class, factory, or bar, then the place you were just in had noise levels above safe levels. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become permanent the more often you ignore them and neglect using ear protection. And it’s frequently accompanied by hearing loss.
If you enjoy a loud night out, take precautions like:
- Using earplugs
- Not standing too close to the speakers
- At least once every hour, step outside or into the restroom to give your ears a break
If you work in a loud environment, follow work rules regarding earmuffs and earplugs. They’re made to protect you, but they only work if you use protective gear correctly.
5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis
We hope you wouldn’t ignore facial paralysis regardless of whether you have ringing in your ears. But when the tinnitus symptoms are come along with paralysis, headaches, and nausea, this might be a sign of a slow-growing benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma.
6. Fluctuating Hearing Loss is Accompanying Tinnitus
Are you experiencing hearing loss that comes and goes? Do you feel dizzy off and on? If these symptoms are taking place along with tinnitus, you might need to get screened for Menier’s disease. This produces a fluid imbalance in your ears. If left without treatment, it often gets worse and might increase your risks of significant falls due to lack of balance.
Tinnitus is frequently a sign of hearing loss. So you should have your hearing checked if you’re experiencing it. Give us a call to set up an appointment.