Isn’t it great when ears do their job so efficiently? Except, what happens when ears can’t anymore? Hearing loss is a natural part of our aging process. Like the rest of our bodies, ears get used and worn. It’s normal. Teeth do it as well, bones do it. So why shouldn’t ears? Ringing in the ears is referred to as Tinnitus, which is Latin for ringing. Some of the reasons for hearing loss increasing in our time is the industrial age. Lots of household machines, lots of cars with loud horns, motors, sirens, alarms. Cell phones with volume levels that are irregular, some people speak quietly and some shout on the other line.

There is also our choices for entertainment, loud shows, loud sports games. Not to mention the friends trying to speak to us above the noise at these events who end up shouting right into our ears. It’s a lot to handle. The movie theaters or our home theaters with surround sound to be able to hear the loud shootouts in action movies or the screeches in the horror movies we like so much. Then there is digital audio technology. Digital sound offers us a musical experience akin to sitting in a concert hall. Crisp, clean, pure sound of music. Is that really necessary? I don’t really listen to classical music like in a concert hall, I can afford to not hear every little noise that my idie-rock bands make with those instruments, but I want that luxury too. I buy the fancy headphones, the home studio speakers.

In the past few years I’ve noticed the ringing in my ears has increased, by a lot. I started listening to my music loudly in my enormous headphones when I was pretty young. My ipod is my best friend, I don’t go anywhere without it and I never listen to it quietly. I’m out and about, hoping on the bus, or walking somewhere surrounded by loud traffic. If I want to hear my music I need to be turning it up every now and then. Another thing that has been turned up is how often I feel like the wind is rattling in one of my ears, when it’s not in the other. Or how no matter how quiet it is, there is a lulling buzz permanently in my head now. Loud music is among the top reasons for young people to loose their hearing. It doesn’t seem like it at first. It didn’t for me. I was told often “I can hear your headphones, how loud do you need that thing?” I shrugged. Luckily I actually was able to notice it after a few years. I started to do something about the ringing. See, ears don’t regenerate very quickly at all. Once you’ve lost some of your hearing, it’s hardly ever that you can gain it back. So prevention becomes a priority.

It’s important to sensitize your ears. To go from “I can take this level of noise” to “Is this level of noise going to do damage?” Ears don’t lie, but we put them through a lot. They will tell you when you’re in danger of damaging your hearing. Tinnitus wouldn’t really be such a big deal for me if it didn’t directly jeopardize my ability to listen to new music or my favorite albums. It’s not worth loosing music, though. I want to be able to keep my hearing well into my old age.

If you think you have ringing ears, the symptoms to be aware of are: hearing sounds when no other external source is creating sound–such as hissing, buzzing, clicking, whistling, ringing, or roaring. These bothersome sounds can affect one or both ears. The sounds may be constant or be heard on and off at different times. Doctors have determined that the bothersome ringing ears is due to problems in the outer, middle, or inner ear. It can be caused by trouble with nerves in the brain that interpret nerve signals into sound. There are tiny hairs in our inner ears. If the hairs are broken or bent they will send a broken sound message to our brain, resulting in ringing ears. The cause of ringing ears is sometimes hard to determine. Some further medical research has found that even exposure to loud noise can cause damage to ear nerves and lead to ringing ears. Yes—even iPods or Mp3 players can be a hazard if continually played too loudly. Other conditions have also been found to be possible causes of ringing ears, but on a much smaller probability range–change in ear bone structure, Meniere’s disease, stress and depression, head or neck injuries, blood vessel disorders, high blood pressure, or head and neck tumors.

If a doctor cannot determine any physical condition that is causing a patient’s ringing ears, they will consult any medications that the patient may be taking. Some medications that have been found to be possible triggers for ringing ears are: anti-biotics, cancer treatment medications, diuretics or water pills, asprin (taken in large doses), or malaria treatment medications.

Do not stop taking medications until you speak with your doctor. The doctor will run tests to determine the cause of ringing ears. He will first give a complete hearing exam. Next, a physical exam of the ears will be done. MRI or CT tests (x-rays) may also be needed. Knowing how to describe your symptoms will help the doctor in his diagnosis of your ringing ears–try to be descriptive and concise. Tell your doctor which medications you are taking and list all current health conditions or problems.

As this common affliction is normally a subjective phenomenon, it is often difficult to measure using common objective tests such as the audiometric test which is a test that compares sounds and frequencies for the ear of the afflicted individual. The condition of tinnitus is usually rated clinically and the simple scale of slight to catastrophic, slight, obviously being the lowest level of inconvenience and catastrophic being life hinderingly bad, such as interfering with sleep or the ability to hear another sound entirely. Tinnitus is relatively common. Nearly one in five people between the ages of 54 and 64 years report some level of tinnitus symptoms. Of these individuals, over half of them are male, since males tend to have a greater exposure to the frequency and intensity of sound that most commonly causes tinnitus. However, these numbers are not exclusive to all regions.

Tinnitus can usually be perceived in one ear, but can also sometimes be perceived in both ears. It is usually described callously as an intense ringing noise; however, this is not universal. Many patients also state that it is personified by a short of buzzing, whining, hissing, humming, screaming, tingling, ticking, roaring, or whistling sound. In any case, it is characterized by a constant or consistent moderate to high pitched noise that can be heard by no one else. Tinnitus can be intermittent, but it is more commonly continuous when the symptom is severe enough. This can cause great psychological distress in an individual. In certain cases, the intensity of tinnitus can also be changed by eye, haw, tongue, head, or shoulder movements.
This has lead to the clinical suggestion that one cause of tinnitus might be sort of a homeostatic response of the central dorsal cochlear nucleus auditory neurons. This suggests that tinnitus might have something to do with a misfire in the brain as well.

The sound that is a result of tinnitus may range from a small quite background noise to a massively loud noise that can be heard over just about any external sounds.
Tinnitus and hearing loss can turn out to be permanent conditions if they are not fought against. There are several things that one can do in response to possible hearing loss or tinnitus in order to best reduce their chances of losing their hearing altogether. If a ringing in the ears becomes audible following a long exposure to a very loud auditory external sound, it means that hearing damage has occurred. If this is the case, it is a good idea to have ones ears check at the doctor’s office to make sure that a case of tinnitus will not occur as a result of that damage. For musicians, DJs, or other individuals that have jobs which expose them to loud noises during a regular portion of the day, it is a good idea to keep ear plugs on hand so that the noise does not becoming damaging. In most cases when a long ringing occurs in one’s ears after prolonged exposure to a high external sound, some form of tinnitus may occur. This is why it is a good idea to cut it off before it is even a possibility.

Constant loud noise or loud music can cause the cells to become over stimulated which can weaken hair cells that can cause permanent hearing loss. There are a lot of younger individuals who are suffering from hearing loss rather than elderly individuals. Take an MP3 player for example, if you have the volume an extremely high level, this could cause damage to the hair cells. You can even experience total hearing loss in as fast as 15 minutes. You shouldn’t able to listen to the music on full blast in order to enjoy the music you’re listening to. You should never turn your music up one hundred percent. You should try and keep it at a level of sixty percent which is normalizing the level or balancing the volume level. It would not such a good idea to listen to the music for more than an hour if you are listening to music on an MP3 player.

If you have tinnitus, then it is because you exposed your ear to a constant vibration level and loud noises. The more your ears are exposed to this loud music or noise, the more damage you are doing to your ears and your hearing. No one else can hear what you are hearing, it is impossible. Tinnitus is not any way a disease and will not cause serious illness, but you can loose your hearing permanently. The reason you hear the noises is because the brain is creating sounds from what the ears previously heard, kind of like an echo but steadily over and over. Hearing loss is really the main root cause of having tinnitus. There are many causes and medical conditions related to having tinnitus. You can encounter an ear infection which will just make the situation worst for you because you are already feeling overwhelmed.

You may also have impacted ear wax, which will cause the ear wax to block the ears canal. This can cause a problem all by itself as well. You may experience pain in the ear as well as the ringing in the ear. A tumor is a common cause of tinnitus as well as ototoxic drugs. Some have encountered neck and head injuries which can also cause tinnitus. This is when you get into an accident and it disrupts the body’s system f balance within the inner ear. Doctors have discovered that even a mild bang to the head can abnormally cause tinnitus. Tinnitus can come from a series of gun shots if you are so close when this happens so be very careful and aware of these causes of tinnitus. A medical condition known to problems in the auditory canal is a tinnitus symptom. You will need to get a check up so the doctor can determine and identify the cause of tinnitus.

There is a popular tinnitus commonly known as presbycusis, which is a hearing loss that is similar to aging. An individual who are still suffering from tinnitus when they reach a certain age over fifty, still holds this problem because they are still listening to loud noises or loud music. There have been problems as far as your blood circulation and this too, can be a caused by tinnitus if you are not careful. Anxiety and stress levels are also pointed out when the talk about tinnitus causes are discussed. The person who suffers from tinnitus will very well become aggravated which can raise your stress level.

Ringing in the ears can be caused by many things. Damage to a nerve, within the ear canal, is one of the major causes for tinnitus. A build up of wax within the ear can also cause the person to hear the ringing or swishing noise. Many older people often have problems with tinnitus because of the onset of hearing loss that is brought on by age. This is usually referred to as presbycusis. Loud noises are another common factor associated with ringing in the ears. Loud sounds can cause permanent damage to the ears and can cause hearing loss. People who have suffered from post traumatic stress disorder are often said to hear noises within their ears, such as the ringing and swishing noises, after having been exposed to loud noises.

Serious health related problems can create ringing in the ears to occur. Meniere’s disease is often associated with tinnitus. This condition is thought to be created by the pressure of too much inner ear fluids. Stress and depression can also cause tinnitus to occur as well as from neck and head injuries. Acoustic neuroma is a type of tumor that is found on the cranial nerve. This condition can often cause the ringing or swishing sound to occur in only one of the ears.

There are also several known types of medications that cause ringing in the ears. High doses of aspirin, some antibiotics, water pills and some types of cancer medications can create a case of tinnitus.

Before the physician can offer a remedy to the patient, for the ringing in the ears problem, they must first research to find out the underlying cause of it.

Doctors will perform many tests on a patient before diagnosing them with tinnitus. The first test the doctor will often have done on a patient complaining of ringing in the ears is an audilogical test. This will test to see if hearing loss is a factor in the noise the patient hears. Physicians will also check the patient’s medical history as well as performing a physical examination on them. They will also run a series of special tests that will help to diagnose ringing ears. One test that a physician often has done on a patient is a CT scan or/and a MRI. These tests are given to rule out any type of problem that may be occurring within the brain.

If the patient has history of high blood pressure or blood clotting, the physician will often have the patient undergo an ultrasound exam, to help rule out these problems as the cause of the tinnitus. This ultrasound will be performed over the patient’s neck to see if the blood is flowing properly through the carotid arteries.

If the patient has a build up of wax that is creating the tinnitus, the physician can do a wax removal to help in the treatment. This can often cure the entire problem of ringing in the ears.

For patients that are diagnosed with blood pressure problems the physician can write a prescription for medication. After the blood pressure is under control the ringing in the ears often comes to a halt.

Plavix is one of the main prescriptions that a physician can treat a patient that has problems with blood clots. If these blood clots are found in the carotid arteries it will create a sound in the ears that many report to sound like a washing machine. If the arteries have a blockage that is more than 75% the physician will often refer the patient to a surgeon to have it taken care of. After the artery is free of plaque and clots, the patient will often cease to hear the ringing or swishing noise within their ears.

Pulsatile Tinnitus is a form of ringing in the ears

About a year ago, my husband began complaining. He said that when he laid down at night he could hear a faint thudding of his heartbeat in the ears. At first, the noise was nothing more than an annoyance, but it soon grew to be a problem. As the weeks and months passed, the dull thudding became a louder humming, an almost constant sound. Even worse, while this aggravating symptom first occurred only when he laid down, eventually the noise began to accompany him during the day as well. He once told me that the noise was like a discordant symphony ringing in his ears.

He and I both believed that it was nothing—just one of those things you learn to live with. Still, as time went on and the noise became more and more intrusive, I knew we had to do something. The first step, of course, was a visit to his doctor. One brief history and a perfunctory exam later we were told that the condition was….ringing in the ears. I felt like saying “we know that, but what is wrong with him.” The Doctor went on to explain that there was not much we could do. Hearing the heartbeat in the ears, also called Pulsatile Tinnitus, isn’t even a disease in and of itself – it is a symptom. The doctor decided my husband’s symptoms were most likely caused by allergies or sinus problems and prescribe an antihistamine. The problem was, while the drug made my husband very sleepy, it really did little to alleviate the problem, especially since he could only take the medication at night.

Natural Tinnitus Cures

We went back to the doctor. In fact we ended up going back five times. Each time we were told about another possible underlying cause and prescribe another drug. None of these methods worked well and many didn’t seem to make a difference at all. My husband had just about given up hope that he would ever have clear hearing again when we decided to get proactive and research the subject ourselves. Turns out that in theory the doctor was right – we had to find out what the underlying cause of the Tinnitus is and treat that. He may have been wrong about the many different medications he prescribed. Some of the possible underlying causes like whiplash, allergies and blocked Eustachian tubes just didn’t fit with my husband’s history. One underlying cause did: Stress. It turns out that stress is one of the leading causes of Tinnitus.

We also discovered that there are natural remedies that have been used to treat Pulsatile Tinnitus with a high degree of success. In my husband’s case, it was simply a matter of changing his eating and sleeping habits and finding a way to unwind. Once he learned to let go of the stresses of everyday life, he relaxed and gradually, the ringing went away. When my husband is overstressed at work, overtired or simply not taking care of himself the symptoms tend to reappear.

Tinnitus isn’t something you have to learn to live with,  it is something you have to learn to fight against. Visit with your doctor, of course, but be sure to discuss alternative or holistic method instead of strictly medical methods. You may just find the solution is something as easy as learning to relax, or to manage your allergies.

Ringing in the Ears

Tinnitus, a persistent ringing in the ears, humming, hissing, or roaring sound in the ear or ears without an external corresponding sound, is a bothersome malady that is usually a symptom of other issues. Some of these issues cannot be prevented, such as age related hearing loss, but many times tinnitus is avoidable. Like with other health concerns, the old cliché rings true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. But what are the best ways to prevent tinnitus? Read on for some of the best ways to keep tinnitus away.

Prevent Ringing Ears

Anti-tinnitus Tactics

• Loud music and noise are the enemies of your ears. If you can’t or don’t want to avoid loud environments, protect your ears with ear plugs. Music lovers should avoid listening to music through headphones at full volume; a third of full volume is usually the loudest level at which to listen. DJs and professional musicians should use specialized filtered earplugs to avoid damage. These allow sound attenuation across a wide range of frequencies. Even the noise from a hair dryer or a vacuum cleaner can be a factor in the onset of tinnitus, so wear your earplugs even for these activities. Know that if you already are hearing a ringing in the ears for several hours after exposure to loud noise, you are already at a severe risk to tinnitus.
• If you have experienced some hearing loss, use a hearing aid, which may help eliminate ear ringing.
• Take care of your circulatory system (and in turn the blood vessels in the ears) by limiting your intake of coffee, alcoholic beverages, and heavily salted foods. Smoking can also have a negative effect on the circulatory system, so cut down if you can. Also, if you are prescribed blood pressure medication, take it religiously.
• Keep a keen eye on your medications. Both prescription and non-prescription medications can be possible causes of tinnitus, and the number of known medicines which list tinnitus as a side effect is over two hundred. Aspirin especially, as well as many antibiotics and antidepressants, have the highest percentage of users who suffer from tinnitus as a side effect. Please consult with your physician before you stop or change any prescription medications.
• Leave your ears alone! To employ another cliché, don’t put another smaller in your ear than your elbow. That especially includes cotton swabs or Q-tips, which are known to impact ear wax against the eardrum.
• Stop worrying about it. Seriously, it might sound silly, but not only can anxiety play a role in tinnitus, but concentrating on existing tinnitus can worsen symptoms.
• Follow good health practices. Get enough sleep (at least seven to eight hours per night, uninterrupted), and exercise regularly (the standard recommendation is thirty minutes, three times per week). That being said, do your best to maintain a healthy weight. Tinnitus arises more frequently in obese populations.
• If you think you might be developing tinnitus symptoms, immediately contact your physician so you can begin mitigating the effects as soon as possible. New treatments are being developed that might be able to repair early stage tinnitus.



Tinnitus and medication

While relatively few drugs exist to treat tinnitus, there are over two hundred drugs which might cause tinnitus as a side effect of use. The technical term for medications which are known to cause tinnitus, or a ringing in the ears, is ototoxic. These medications are damaging to the cochlear or vestibular ear structures. Sometimes ototoxic meds will cause more than tinnitus – dizziness, vertigo, and actual hearing loss are also risks involved with taking these medications.

tinnitus treatments

If you are experiencing tinnitus, and are on prescription drugs, those drugs might be your culprit. A consultation with your doctor and possibly some tests may confirm that your tinnitus is the result of ototoxic medications, in which case your doctor will most likely switch your medications, unless the risks of doing so outweigh the benefits. While there are extensive lists of drugs that list tinnitus as a side effect, some have only manifested systems in as few as a single patient; this means two things: do not fret if you have tinnitus and are taking a drug on the list, as it may not be the cause, and two, just because your medication is not on the list, does not mean it couldn’t be a cause of ringing ears.

Known Examples of Ototoxic Medications

• Antibiotics: Several antibiotics have been identified as tinnitus causing medications. Some examples include chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, erythromycin, vancomycin, and tetracycline.
• Aspirin is among the most commonly associated with tinnitus side effects. Effects usually appear with regular, heavy use, such as six to ten doses of aspirin per day. Others include some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially Relafen, or nabumetone, with which tinnitus is reported as a side effect in as many as nine percent of users.
• Ibuprofen related tinnitus is reported in less than three percent of users.
• Individuals who take BuSpar, an anti-anxiety medication, report tinnitus as a frequently experienced side effect.
• Lariam, an antimalarial drug, has some of the highest instances of tinnitus side effects.
• Methazolamide, also known a Neptazane, Glauctabs, or MZM also has a high percentage of tinnitus reported as a side effect of use. MZM is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor to treat glaucoma among other uses.
• Many chemotherapy drugs are implicated in tinnitus cases, including vincristine, bleomycin, mechlorethamine, cisplatin, and methotrexate.
• Almost seven percent of Xanax users report tinnitus among side effects. Interestingly, Xanax can also be extremely helpful in the treatment of tinnitus. This tranquilizer is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders, but showed efficicacy in the treatment of tinnitus in double blind studies. Careful, though; Xanax can be addicting.
• Beware of some loop diuretics such as ethacrynic acid, bumetanide, or furosemide.
• Xylocaine, a local anesthetic in frequent use, has some of the highest percentages of tinnitus in users. It is commonly employed as a dental anesthetic, or for minor surgeries. It is also used topically to alleviate pain from skin inflammations and related burning, itching, and pain.

Ringing ear pain

People are beginning to realize that ringing ears are more than just a simple annoyance, it is a sign that something else is wrong. Sufferers of Tinnitus (the medical term for ringing in the ears) often believe that the thudding, whining or humming they hear is just something they have to put up with. Because many people first only experience the problem at night, it is easy to try to ignore the symptom. As the ringing gradually begins to affect their hearing during their waking hours, sufferers often become more concerned. Turning to doctors for medical help doesn’t always cure the problem. The reason for this is simple: Tinnitus isn’t a disease, it is a symptom.

That annoying ringing, which can impact our ability to think clearly, is an indication that something else is wrong. Medical doctors will often attribute the problem to allergies or problems with the ear canal or Eustachian Tubes. Most doctors overlook one of the most common underlying causes of Tinnitus – whiplash. Many people who suffer from whiplash due to a car accident or chronic neck strain also suffer from Tinnitus. Understanding the role that underlying causes like Whiplash can have on Tinnitus is often the first step towards alleviating the aggravating ringing in the ears.

A visit to the doctor is always a good idea. Some of the underlying causes of Tinnitus can be quite serious and may require medical intervention. However, it is equally important to investigate other options for treatment of Tinnitus. Natural, homeopathic cures often work to relieve the underlying cause of the ringing and can give sufferers a degree of relief they have not received from medical intervention. In the case of Tinnitus sufferers who also have Whiplash, physical therapy, massage and chiropractic care are often helpful.

Whiplash can cause tinnitus

As more of us are turning to homeopathic remedies to address many of our health concerns, it just makes sense to investigate natural cures for Tinnitus. The underlying issues of Tinnitus can often be alleviated by using natural methods. Tinnitus sufferers who can attribute their symptoms to allergies may experience relief by using a Netti Pot. Others, who know their underlying issue is stress, can benefit from relaxation exercise, yoga and meditation.

Always remember that Tinnitus is not a disease in and of itself. It is critical that you work closely with your doctor to rule out serious medical conditions and to then look at your lifestyle and history to determine what may be causing your ringing. Implementing some of the natural cures for ringing ears can help you to alleviate your symptoms while also helping you become a more healthy person. Tinnitus is not something that you have to live with. Take the step today to learn more about natural Tinnitus cures. By determining your underlying causes and implementing the appropriate natural cure, that ringing will soon disappear and you will finally have the silence you seek.

cure ringing ears

Anyone who suffers from ringing ears understands how truly intrusive it can be. Described by sufferers as a ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears, Tinnitus can become so difficult to live with that it can effect every aspect of life. Today, many people are searching for a way to alleviate the annoying symptoms of tinnitus. In order to be successful, it is first important to understand just what Tinnitus is, and how some of the remedies can help them.

Tinnitus is not actually a disease at all. In fact, it is a symptom. That’s right, all of us suffering from the confounding ringing in our ears are actually suffering from another disease.

Some of the underlying causes of ringing ears are:

ringing ear model

• Stress
• Allergies
• Damaged hearing
• Inner ear damage
• Whiplash
• Otosclerosis
• Damaged or blocked Eustachian tubes
• Drug use

There are two distinctive types of Tinnitus. The first is ‘subjective’ in which only the sufferer can hear the knocking, ringing or clicking. The second is ‘objective.’ Under this form, qualified doctors, utilizing specialized tools, can also hear the noises. More people suffer from subjective Tinnitus than objective Tinnitus.

Many doctors will attempt to ‘cure’ Tinnitus using a wide variety of drugs. Typically they will prescribe antihistamines, antidepressants or anticonvulsants. In some cases audio maskers or hearing aids will be used in an attempt to cover up or mask the noises. Some sufferers find a degree of relief from realization exercises, yoga or self-hypnosis. Unfortunately, because Tinnitus is a symptom, not a syndrome, these attempts at medical intervention usually only provide short-term relief.

tinnitus treatment

Natural Tinnitus Cure

It is precisely because of this that many of us have turned to natural cures for Tinnitus. These methods tend to address the underlying cause of the problem instead of simply treating the symptom. Many of these remedies are simple, common sense measures that attempt to address things like stress levels and poor diet choices.

Natural Tinnitus cures often have a much higher rate of success when compared to traditional medical intervention. As an added bonus, because of the very nature of the remedies, the people that use the more natural cures receive the added benefits of a healthier life style.

In short, while it is important to visit with a qualified doctor to ensure the underlying cause of your particular case of Tinnitus is not caused by a serious and correctable problem like blocked Eustachian tubes, true sufferers from Tinnitus may want to consider trying one of the many natural remedies available today.
Those of us that suffer from ringing in our ears know that it more than a mere annoyance. Instead of suffering in ‘silence’ take the step towards clearer hearing and thinking today by researching all of the available treatment options. There is a quieter world just yours for the taking. Don’t suffer from Tinnitus any longer than you have to.