“What’s that annoying sound in my ears?” “Make that noise stop!”
If you find yourself making these kinds of statements, you could have tinnitus, a common hearing condition that causes you to hear noises or perceive a sound that other people can’t hear. This is more common than you may think. Millions of individuals have this disorder.
Ringing, pulsing, whistling, or buzzing are the noises that the majority of people describe.
Ringing in the ears might seem harmless, depending on its severity. But there are absolutely times when you shouldn’t ignore it. Tinnitus symptoms can frequently be a sign of something more serious going on in your body.
You need to 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 cope with symptoms constantly, based on some studies.
This aggravating, ever-present noise can result in all kinds of relationship troubles, anxiety, insomnia, and even depression.
It can be a battle between the tinnitus sound and something as basic as attempting to hear your friend tell you a recipe over the phone. You may snap at your grandson, who simply asks a question, because the ringing stresses you out.
A vicious cycle can be the result of this constant ringing. As your stress level goes up, the ringing gets louder. And you get more stressed the louder the noise is and on and on.
If your tinnitus is leading to these types of life challenges, you shouldn’t neglect it. It’s there, and your life is being affected. The noise can be reduced or eliminated with obtainable treatment choices.
2. After You Changed Medications, Your Ears Began to Ring
Whether you have persistent back pain or cancer, doctors may try several different medications to deal with the same ailment. You may ask for an alternative solution if you begin to experience significant side effects. Contact your doctor and find out what the side effects are if you began experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.
Some common medications might cause tinnitus. These include some kinds of:
- Chemo
- Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
- Loop Diuretics
- Opioids (Pain Killers)
- Antibiotics
3. It Comes With Headache, Blurred Vision, or Seizures
This normally indicates that your tinnitus symptoms are being caused by high blood pressure. When you have hypertension, the blood circulation to your inner ear is compromised. Unregulated high blood pressure is also dangerous for your overall health. Over time, it may cause or worsen age-related hearing loss.
4. You Only Hear it After You Leave a Concert, Gym, or Work
If you only hear the tinnitus after you leave a loud place like a concert, aerobics class, factory, or bar, then the place you were just in had unsafe levels of noise. It becomes increasingly likely that these noises will become permanent the more frequently you ignore them and neglect using ear protection. And it’s commonly accompanied by hearing loss.
If you enjoy a loud night out, take precautions like:
- Giving your ears a regular break by going outside or into the restroom, if possible, at least once every hour
- Wearing earplugs
- Standing a little further away from loud speakers
If you work in a loud environment, adhere to work rules pertaining to earplugs and earmuffs. 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 dismiss facial paralysis regardless of whether you have ringing in your ears. 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. Fluctuating Hearing Loss is Accompanying Tinnitus
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 screened for Meniere’s disease. This leads to a fluid imbalance in your ears. Your risk of falling caused by lack of balance will worsen if this disorder is left untreated.
Hearing loss is often signaled by tinnitus. So if you are experiencing it, you should have your hearing checked more frequently. Reach out to us to make an appointment for a hearing test.