{"id":2553,"date":"2018-08-10T03:50:40","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T03:50:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=2553"},"modified":"2021-10-12T07:08:05","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T07:08:05","slug":"10-tinnitus-causes-that-trigger-ringing-in-your-ears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/10-tinnitus-causes-that-trigger-ringing-in-your-ears\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tinnitus Causes That Trigger Ringing in Your Ears"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Tinnitus is often thought to be a condition that causes ringing in the ears. While ringing is certainly the hallmark of tinnitus, it isn\u2019t the only thing that people who suffer from this condition hear. Other symptoms include roaring, clicking, hissing, or whistling sounds. These sounds can range in severity from a mild, temporary, and a minor annoyance; or they can be severe, chronic, and debilitating.<\/p>\n

It is believed that an estimated 50 million Americans experience tinnitus, and typically, people who are over the age of 50 are afflicted by this condition; however, children, teens, and young adults can also develop tinnitus.<\/p>\n

Currently, there is no cure for tinnitus; but, there are ways that it can be managed. Managing the symptoms begins with figuring out the cause. If you are suffering from tinnitus, you are probably wondering what caused it. Here\u2019s a look at 10 things that could spark a ringing in your ears.<\/p>\n

1. Excessive Exposure to Loud Sounds<\/h3>\n

One of the most common causes of the ringing in the ears that is associated with tinnitus<\/a> is prolonged exposure to loud noises. For example, someone who works on diesel engines in an enclosed environment, someone who works in a factory with loud machinery, or someone who attends loud concerts on a regular basis, could develop tinnitus.<\/p>\n

The reason? Exposure to very loud noises over a prolonged period of time can do serious damage to your hearing. Namely, it can damage the small hair cells that line the cochlea, which is located in the inner ear. These hairs play an integral role in your ability to hear. When they become damaged \u2013 or they are completely lost \u2013 the way you hear certain sound frequencies can change, which alters the way your brain processes those frequencies, resulting in the ringing that is associated with tinnitus. <\/p>\n

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2. Age<\/h3>\n

As mentioned above, the largest percentage of people who are afflicted with tinnitus are over the age of 50. In fact, it is often the first sign of presbycusis or age-related hearing loss. But why is ringing in the ears more common in older people than any other age group? \u2013 The reason simply has to do with the fact that they have experienced more damage to their hearing throughout their lives.<\/p>\n

In other words, because they have been living longer, they have been exposed to more damaging sounds. As those tiny hairs that line the inner ear are damaged or completely lost with exposure to loud noises over the course of a lifetime, it stands to reason that older people are more likely to develop tinnitus. Additionally, older people are more likely to suffer from health conditions that have been linked to ringing in the ears, such as high blood pressure<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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3. Cigarette Smoking<\/h3>\n

Other than exposure to loud noises, there aren\u2019t many environmental factors that cause tinnitus \u2013 except cigarette smoking. Links to smoking cigarettes<\/a> and tinnitus has been found. There are actually two reasons why cigarette smoke can cause ringing, roaring, and whistling sounds that are associated with tinnitus. Firstly, cigarettes damage the flow of blood throughout the body, including to the sensitive nerve cells in the ears that control your ability to hear.<\/p>\n

When these nerve cells are damaged, ringing can result, and that ringing can be severe and persistent. Secondly, the nicotine in cigarettes acts as a stimulant, which can make any slight ringing that you may experience in your ears sound even louder; in other words, if you are already suffering from mild tinnitus, smoking cigarettes can make it worse. So, not only can cigarettes cause this hearing condition, but it can also complicate it.<\/p>\n

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4. A buildup of Earwax<\/h3>\n

Earwax<\/a> is normal. In fact, though many people find it to be off-putting, the waxy buildup is actually a good thing for your ears. It acts as a natural cleaning agent, riding your ears of various impurities that make their way inside on a regular basis, such as dirt, dust, allergens, debris, and other matter that could severely damage your ears \u2013 and your hearing. However, while earwax is normal \u2013 and necessary \u2013 too much of it isn\u2019t a good thing.<\/p>\n

When there\u2019s an excessive accumulation of wax in the ears, it can become impacted. When the wax is impacted in the ears, it can interfere with your sense of hearing. One way in which a buildup of earwax can interfere with your sense of hearing is by causing a ringing to develop, or tinnitus. If you are prone to developing an excessive amount of earwax, you can prevent the development of tinnitus by having your ears checked and cleaned by an ear, nose, and throat specialists, or by an audiologist. <\/p>\n

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5. Taking Certain Medications<\/h3>\n

Researchers have discovered that certain medications can cause or worsen the ringing in the ears that is associated with tinnitus. These medications include antibiotics<\/a>, such as erythromycin, neomycin, polymyxin B, and vancomycin; vincristine, mechlorethamine, and other medications used to treat cancers; high doses of aspirin, and water pills, such as ethacrynic, bumetanide, and furosemide. Usually, the higher the dosage is off these medications, the worse the symptoms that are associated with tinnitus become.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, many people who experience tinnitus as a result of taking these medications find that the ringing, roaring, and whistling that is associated with this condition lessens or completely stops when they discontinue use. If you take any of these medications and find that you are starting to experience the symptoms that are associated with tinnitus, speak to your doctor. Together, you can determine if there is a way to reduce or eliminate the symptoms by adjusting your medications. <\/p>\n

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6. Changes in the Structure of the Ear Bones<\/h3>\n

The body changes with age, including the structure of the bones within the middle ear. A condition known as otosclerosis<\/a>, hardening or a change in the shape of the bones in the middle ear, can occur. The changes of these bones can impact the function of the cochlea, the spiral cavity within the middle ear that contains the Corti, an organ that produces nerve impulses in response to the vibrations that are made by sounds, and plays an integral part in how sounds are heard.<\/p>\n

When the function of the cochlea changes, the way in which sound is transmitted to and processed by the brain can change, and the response is often ringing, roaring, or whistling that is associated with tinnitus. The changes in the bones of the middle ear tend to run in families. An ear specialist can determine if this is the cause of your tinnitus.<\/p>\n

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7. Menier\u2019s Disease<\/h3>\n

A condition that affects the inner ear, Menier\u2019s disease usually causes pressure or pain to develop in the ear. In severe cases, it can also cause ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and extreme dizziness known as vertigo<\/a>. Typically, this disease affects people who are in their 40s or older; however, it can affect people of all ages. Menier\u2019s disease is a chronic condition, and currently, there is no known cure. Additionally, the exact cause of this disease is not known; but, researchers do believe that is related to high fluid pressure in a portion of the inner ear.<\/p>\n

There are passages throughout the inner ear. The inner portion of this part of the ear is soft, while the outside is hard. Tiny hairs that act as sensors and transmit sound to the brain are also located in this part of the ear. Therefore, changes in fluid pressure can cause Meniere\u2019s disease and the symptoms that are associated with it, including ringing in the ears. <\/p>\n

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8. Injuries to the Head or Neck<\/h3>\n

People who suffer trauma<\/a> to the head or the neck can also develop the symptoms that are associated with tinnitus, including the trademark ringing. Damage to the head or neck can affect the nerves that are responsible for hearing and the singles that are sent to the brain that allow the hearing to occur.<\/p>\n

Usually, tinnitus that is caused by head or neck injuries tends to be severe. In a study that examined more than 2,400 people who were suffering from tinnitus found that more than 12 percent of the participants had suffered an injury to their head or neck and that those injuries cause the tinnitus they experienced. In this study, one-third of the participants had experienced whiplash, and the remaining people had sustained either just head injuries, or injuries that affected both their head and neck. Furthermore, people who have sustained injuries to their head or neck have worse symptoms of tinnitus than those who have not sustained such injuries. <\/p>\n

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9. Atherosclerosis<\/h3>\n

Atherosclerosis<\/a> is an age-related condition that is marked by a buildup of cholesterol and other types of deposits within the body that cause the arteries \u2013 the blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood throughout the body \u2013 to harden and narrow. As the flow of blood is reduced, various side effects can be experienced, including tinnitus. That\u2019s because the blood vessels that are located within close proximity to both the middle and the inner ear lose their elasticity.<\/p>\n

Elasticity allows these parts of the ear to both expand when the heartbeats. When the elasticity of the blood vessels in this part of the ear is affected, the flow of blood is more forceful, which makes it easier to hear heartbeats, and therefore, ringing, whistling, and roaring \u2013 the symptoms of tinnitus \u2013 can occur. Typically, when atherosclerosis is the cause of tinnitus, the ringing can be experienced in both ears. <\/p>\n

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10. Acoustic Neuroma<\/h3>\n

This condition is the result of the development of a benign, slow-growing tumor that develops on the vestibular nerve, the main nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. Branches that are connected to the vestibular nerve have a direct impact on both balance and hearing. As this benign tumor grows, it places pressure on this nerve, and this pressure can result in loss of hearing, ringing in the ear, and dizziness.<\/p>\n

Usually, the symptoms that are associated with acoustic neuroma<\/a> are subtle and can take several years to develop. Typically, they develop as a result of the effects that the benign tumor has on the nerves that are responsible for hearing and balance. In extremely rare cases, the growth of the tumor can be large enough that it can compress the brainstem and become life-threatening. Therefore, if you experience symptoms that are associated with this condition, it is important to seek medical treatment. \r\n

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