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That Dreadful Ear Noise ... What Can You Do To Stop It?
Are you suffering with ringing, buzzing, or other ear noise? If so, you're not alone.
Roughly 50 million people in the United States alone suffer from a very
annoying condition called tinnitus. Tinnitus is the medical term for
"hearing" noises in your ears when there is no outside source of the
sounds. It's very common — almost everyone experiences a mild form of
tinnitus every now and then, lasting for a few minutes. But for many
tinnitus sufferers the ear noise is constant, interfering with their
normal daily activities and causing stress.
The noises you hear can be soft or loud. They may sound like ringing,
blowing, roaring, buzzing, hissing, humming, whistling, or sizzling.
You may even think you are hearing air escaping, water running, the
inside of a seashell, or even musical notes. Some people hear a
swishing pulsing sound that may be synchronous with their heart beat.
It
isn't known exactly what causes a person to "hear" sounds with no
outside source of the noise. However, tinnitus can be a symptom of
almost any ear problem, including ear infections, foreign objects or
wax in the ear, and injury from loud noises. Alcohol, caffeine,
antibiotics, aspirin, or other drugs can also cause ear noises.
Tinnitus may occur with hearing loss. Occasionally, it is a sign of
high blood pressure, an allergy, or anemia. Rarely, tinnitus is a sign
of a serious problem like a tumor or aneurysm.
So what can you do?
Here are a few things you can do at home to help yourself:
- Mask
the ear noise with competing sounds, such as low-level music, ticking
clocks, or other noises. Tinnitus is often more noticeable when you go
to bed at night because your surroundings are quieter. Any noise in the
room, like a humidifier, white noise machine, or dishwasher, can help
mask tinnitus and make it less irritating.
- Learn ways to relax. Feeling stressed or anxious can worsen tinnitus.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking.
- Get
enough rest. Try sleeping with your head propped up in an elevated
position. This lessens head congestion and noises may become less
noticeable.
Be sure to call your doctor if:
- Ear noises start after a head injury.
- The noises are associated with other unexplained symptoms like dizziness, feeling off balance, nausea, or vomiting.
- You have unexplained ear noises that bother you even after self-help measures.
If your doctor can determine the cause, fixing the problem (removing
ear wax, for example) may make your symptoms go away.
Many medicines have been used to relieve symptoms of tinnitus, but no
drug works for everyone. Medications may include anti-arrhythmics
(usually used for irregular heart rhythms), antidepressants,
vasodilators, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, and antihistamines.
A tinnitus masker is a device worn like a hearing aid. This helps some
people. It delivers low-level sound directly into the ear to cover or
disguise the ear noise that is bothering you.
A hearing aid may help reduce ear noise and make outside sounds louder.
Sometimes, counseling may help you learn to live with tinnitus. Your
doctor may recommend biofeedback training. This method helps you learn
to control body functions by monitoring specific responses (such as
tightness of a muscle group) and altering this response through
relaxation.
Some people have tried alternative therapies to treat tinnitus. They include things like:
- Acupuncture
- Craniosacral therapy
- Hypnosis
- Vitamins or herbal supplements, including zinc, magnesium, ginkgo, melatonin, or B vitamins
It’s likely you’ll find that a combination of things will stop that
nagging ear noise. Don't give up, and you'll find what works for you. |
