Ringing ears or tinnitus, is probably the most annoying thing that can happen to you. It causes headaches, annoyance and even ruins your focus. If you are fine living with ringing in your ears, you're either crazy or I am a baby! Either way, no one should have to deal with something that can easily go away if you know the cause.
Here are seven reasons why your ears may be ringing and how to make them stop:
1. Clean them.
The build up of earwax in your ears can cause them to make you hear a non-existent ringing noise. This is because the earwax blocks your ears. Luckily, this is a very simple fix. See your doctor and they can remove it in minutes. Once it is removed, the ringing will be instantly gone.
Try to remember to clean them yourself at home. This will probably lower the chances of a huge build up, causing you to have to go to the doctor. If you use Q-Tips, ensure that you are not pushing them to the very back of your ear, this could push on your eardrum and cause hearing problems. Keep them towards the front of your ear to remove any excess wax.
2. Turn down the noise.
Any sort of exposure to a loud environment can cause your ears to ring. This could be from working with heavy equipment or listening to really loud music. You won't necessarily hear the ringing right away either. You may be more susceptible to constant ringing if you are around loud noises quite frequently.
To protect yourself from this happening, wear the proper ear protection while using loud machines, and always turn your music down. It should never be turned up all the way, especially while wearing headphones. Too much exposure to these loud noises without protection could do more damage than just ringing ears. Over time, you could experience hearing problems.
3. Relax.
Stress can play a part in why your ears may be ringing. When you are stressed you'll notice your ear ringing may seem even louder. So, stress isn't the only factor but it can make things worse.
If you suffer from tinnitus, which is re-occurring ear ringing, counselling can actually reduce symptoms. In the meantime, don't over-stress if your ears start to ring. Kick back, relax and you'll see the symptoms diminish.
4. Growing.
The reason your ears may be ringing can be due to bone growth. A hereditary disorder, called otosclerosis, causes bone in the middle ear to grow abnormally. This can lead to Tinnitus somewhere in your middle-age.
This is not a huge thing to worry about, as it can be treated by surgery. This isn't a disorder that usually hides itself so you probably can tell you have it from early on, and get it treated from there.
5. Get a check-up.
If you're not sure what is causing the ringing, go to the doctors. There are a number of medical conditions it could be so, it is best to get it checked out. Medical conditions like abnormal fluid pressure in the inner ear, a non-cancerous tumor, hypertension, diabetes or allergies, could all cause ear ringing.
It is nothing to rush to the hospital about, but there is no need to live with the annoyance of constant ringing ears. See your doctor to get some answers and maybe even treatment.
6. Your medication.
Certain medication can have ringing ears as a possible side effect. This is most commonly seen in medications such as antibiotics and antidepressants. If this starts to happen, talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of your medication. Luckily, this isn't permanent. Once you're off the medication, the ringing will stop as well.
7. Go to the dentist.
There are some jaw conditions that can cause your ears to ring. There is one condition where the jawbone connects to the skull, and can cause a ringing sound in your ear to occur. This sounds scary, but it isn't dangerous. See your dentist and they will probably be able to give you some answers, or at least connect you with someone that can.
There are a lot of things that can cause ringing in your ears, figure yours out and be at peace once again!