Ugh, constant ringing in your ear can be the most annoying feeling in the world. There is not a single moment that you can really be at peace with your ears constantly ringing and buzzing. Are your ears always buzzing? If they are, it is important that you read this article carefully to understand more in-depth the possible causes of ringing in your ears.
Constant buzzing in the ear is not only annoying, but it often signals a much bigger problem – tinnitus. Tinnitus is caused by a damage to or the loss of sensory hair cells in the cochlea, or inner ear. It can be present in many ways such as ringing, buzzing, clicking, hissing, or whooshing. These sounds can be in either or both ears, constant or occasional, loud or soft. The ringing is typically more noticeable at night when there is no form of distraction and is often associated with hearing loss.
Causes of Tinnitus
Tinnitus occurs in the inner ear and may be caused by a constant exposure to loud sounds. This is more applicable to people who are constantly in an environment with loud noises such as construction sites or clubs. Tinnitus can also occur due to head injury or concussion or due to excessive wax build-up in your ears. Caffeine may also be a contributing factor. Certain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, blood pressure medicines and some antibiotics, may also cause tinnitus.
How to Cope With Tinnitus
There is currently no treatment for tinnitus. However, there are certain strategies you can try to help alleviate the discomfort from tinnitus. First, avoid drinking caffeine as it can increase your blood pressure, in turn causing your tinnitus to be more noticeable. You can also consider getting hearing aids. Hearing aids can boost the volume of external noises to mask the tinnitus. Try playing gentle music to give your brain something else to focus other than the ringing. Alternatively, you can also create white noise, especially at night, to cancel out the sound you hear from tinnitus. Make sure to visit your doctor to clean your ear wax regularly. Do not clean your ear wax yourself as you may risk injury to your ear. For people who are constantly exposed to loud noises, make sure to wear ear plugs to prevent further damage to your hearing.
Seek Professional Help
If the ringing in your ear continues to persist for several weeks even after trying the above-mentioned remedies, do visit the doctor as soon as possible. If the ringing is accompanied with pain, please make an appointment with the Head Pain Institute®. The Head Pain Institute® is a leading authority in the United States for the treatment of TMJ/TMD disorders, head and neck pain, and sleep apnea. Each of our providers are Diplomates with the American Board of Orofacial Pain and many are members of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. They are one of the most well-qualified doctors that can treat a wide variety of causes of head, neck and ear pain, making sure you get the treatment you need.
