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8 Causes of Ringing in the Ears
What Causes Ringing in the Ears
Ringing in the ears or tinnitus is one of the most annoying problems you can get with your hearing. Sometimes the ringing is constant and goes on for hours and other times it comes and goes. The ringing can be temporary or become permanent and it can occur in the left or right ear or both at the same time. Tinnitus makes it hard to concentrate on anything and makes hearing even more difficult, but what causes it?
8 Causes of Ringing in the Ears
1. Age related hearing loss (Presbycusis)
As we get older the parts of the ear can deteriorate and not function so well. This means that the part of the brain which receives the signal from the ear doesn't get as much information as it's used to and strains to get more sound causing the ringing sound we hear.
2. Ear infections
Parts of the ear can become inflamed and result in a temporary loss of hearing and a ringing sound. You should consult a GP if you suspect this cause so that it doesn't worsen.
3. Earwax congestion in one or both ears
Congestion in the ear due to excessive ear wax is a common problem and easy to solve. We sell a range of ear cleaning products to help you remove wax buildup and keep your ears clean.
4. Continuous or abrupt loud noises
Listening to extra loud sounds, working in a place with high noise levels or sudden bangs over 120dB can cause damage to the hearing nerve. This can cause temporary or even permanent ringing noises in the ears.
5. Health problems
Otosclerosis, Acoustic Neuroma, Arteriovenous malformations, high blood pressure as well as head or neck injuries, including problems with the Temporomandibular Joint.
6. Neurologic (like a stroke) or metabolic disorders
It is important to get conditions like these diagnosed quickly. You should see a doctor immediately if you have ringing in the ears accompanied by sudden hearing loss.
7. Some medications
Some antibiotics, analgesics, cardiac drugs, anticonvulsants, antihistamines and others can have tinnitus as a side effect. Please check with your doctor.
8. Ménière's Disease
An attack of Ménière's disease is where sudden dizziness is accompanied by ringing in the ears, ear pressure within the ear and hearing loss.
How to Stop Ringing in the Ears
It is important to keep your ears clean and wear ear protection in noisy environments. If the ringing in your ears is temporary then this is the best way to avoid making it worse. If you have ringing in the ears together with sudden hearing loss then you should go and see a doctor immediately to eliminate serious causes such as a stroke.
Unfortunately there's no quick and easy solution for permanent tinnitus. You should also see a doctor to eliminate any possible causes mentioned above that are curable either by cleaning your ears or changing medication. If your ringing in the ears becomes permanent then, at present, there is little that can be done. Research into tinnitus is still continuing.
Our post "What is Tinnitus and How to Cope with It" has further information and "Tinnitus Maskers to Ease the Condition" can help you to identify various masking products to help calm the noise.
Check your hearing with our free Hearing Test
If you think you have hearing loss as well as ringing in the ears then you can take our free online hearing test. All you need is a pair of headphones and 3 minutes of your time and we will email you an audiogram straightaway.
About Hearing Direct
We are one of the world's leading hearing aid specialists. HearingDirect offers a wide range of affordable products, and information resources to help improve the quality of life for the hard of hearing. We sell:
- Hearing aids,
- Batteries,
- Accessories such as earplugs,
- and amplified devices such as super loud alarm clocks and amplified phones.