How Do I Stop The Ringing In My Ears?

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant, and can be perceived as single or multiple tones. Tinnitus’s perceived volume can range from subtle to shattering, and can interfere with hearing normal conversation, especially with other extraneous sounds around, such as being in a room with other conversations going on, or with music playing at a medium level.

What causes Tinnitus?

Tremendous progress has been made by medical researchers in discovering why tinnitus happens. When sound vibrations from the outside world conduct through tiny movable bones behind the eardrum, they reach a fluid-filled chamber deep within the inner ear, called the cochlea. Within this chamber, thousands of tiny hair cells pick up the vibrations. The vibrations are then converted and sent as electrical impulses through the auditory nerve to the brain. The brain then interprets the electrical signals as unique sounds.

The hair cells, however, can be damaged in such a way that they continuously send bursts of electrical signals to the auditory nerve, even when no outside noises are causing sound vibrations. When damaged, sometimes these hair cells become permanently turned on, making the brain believe that sound vibrations are entering the ear nonstop. This condition is called tinnitus.

There are several likely sources, all of which are known to trigger or worsen tinnitus:

Noise exposure – Exposure to loud noises can damage and even destroy hair cells, called cilia, in the inner ear. Once damaged, these hair cells cannot be renewed or replaced. Head and neck trauma – Physical trauma to the head and neck can induce tinnitus. Certain disorders, such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and thoracic outlet syndrome, can have tinnitus as a symptom. When tinnitus is a symptom of another disorder, treating the disorder can help alleviate the tinnitus. Tumors within close proximity to the hearing components. Wax build-up within the ear canal. Jaw misalignment, pressing on hearing components. Cardiovascular disease Ototoxicity – Some medications are toxic to the ear and will produce tinnitus as a side effect without damaging the inner ear.

So… Let’s get back to the root question: How do I stop the ringing in my ears?

What Are Some Remedies to Alleviate Tinnitus? The following tips may help you reduce symptoms of tinnitus:

Cut back on or eliminate alcohol and beverages containing caffeine. Stop smoking and stop using smokeless tobacco products. Nicotine use makes tinnitus worse by reducing blood flow to the structures of the ear. Limit your use of aspirin, products containing aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Exercise regularly. Exercise improves blood flow to the structures of the ear.

Try these methods to cope with the constant noise:

Limit or avoid exposure to the noises you suspect are causing your tinnitus. If you cannot avoid loud noises, wear protective earplugs or earcups. Try to ignore the sound by concentrating your attention to other things. Practice relaxation techniques, such as biofeedback, meditation, or yoga. Stress and fatigue seem to make tinnitus worse. Quiet rooms can cause tinnitus to seem more distracting. Background noise may reduce the amount of noise you hear. Play music at soft levels, or white noise (a fan works well for this). Try the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba. Some studies suggest that it may help relieve tinnitus.