What Does Ringing In The Ears Mean?

Ringing in the ears can be caused by different factors. If you receive a timely diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to overcome the condition without major consequences.

At many times in life you can hear strange noises or buzzing in the ears. These can become more or less annoying, and although they are often temporary, when they persist they usually cause concern. Especially since its cause is unknown. Has it ever happened to you? Most likely, yes.

In some cases, ringing in the ears may be due to circumstantial factors. For example, water entering the middle ear or having recently traveled by plane. Also due to the practice of extreme physical activities or a change in posture, after having been in a position for a long time.

However, some people experience this discomfort on a recurring basis and with a moderate to strong intensity. In these cases, a doctor should be consulted immediately.

Loud and continuous ringing in one or both ears may be due to some serious pathology. In general, they do not themselves constitute a disease, but are a symptomatic reflection of other conditions.

Next, we will see some causes that produce it and a series of recommendations. It must be taken into account that even the diet can influence.

Definition and causes of ringing in the ears

Ringing in the ears is also known as tinnitus or tinnitus. They can be defined as a sensation of sound in the ears without an external origin of the same. That is, only the person who suffers from it hears them.

According to the statistics, “no one knows for sure how many people suffer from  permanent tinnitus . But several studies carried out around the world have found that about 5% of adults claim to have permanent tinnitus in one or both ears ”. For this reason, there are those who consider that approximately 3.5 million Spaniards suffer from this problem ; they feel like beeps, pulses, or vibration, among other analogies. Its incidence is higher in people over 40 years of age.

The tinnitus or tinnitus occurs for different reasons. The most common causes are those related to the hearing system, pathological or not.

Non-pathological causes can be the following:

• Excess wax in the ear canal.
• Entry of water into the ear.
• Foreign bodies in the ear.
• Hormonal changes.

Pathological causes include:

• Perforated eardrum.
• Diabetes and obesity.
• Ménière’s disease.
• Neurological disorders.
• Serious psychological disorders.
• Hardened ossicle chain.
• Fleshy growths, cysts, or tumors.
• Otitis or infection of any area of ​​the ear.

Trauma-related causes:

• Strike near the ear or on the head from a fall, impact, etc.
• Arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Other conditions that can cause tinnitus or tinnitus include:

• Consumption of drugs.
• Stress, anxiety and fatigue.
• Consumption of certain medications.
• Exposure to sounds at very high volume.

• Exposure to high and continuous environmental noise.
• Frequent use of headphones with high volume.

What to do in case of ringing in the ears?

If the discomfort is frequent and continuous, you should see a doctor immediately for a diagnosis. Whether it is tinnitus or tinnitus located in the ear, or a disease that produces it, treatment must be timely. In this way , aggravation or the possibility of irreversible sequelae is avoided.

The doctor could apply a sound test or request clinical studies. The patient may be referred to other specialists such as the psychiatrist, psychologist, or endocrinologist. Regarding the treatment, depending on the cause, the doctor will choose between drug therapy, surgical solutions, acoustic therapies or radiofrequency.

It is recommended not to take aspirin, as acetylsalicylic acid is harmful in these cases.

On the other hand, the only condition for using home remedies is that the cause is not pathological. That is, as long as the problem is not a consequence of a pathology, certain remedies can be used (preferably after consultation with the doctor).

• Recommendations include consuming pineapple, gingko biloba, or placing warm towels over the ears, among others.

How to avoid tinnitus not caused by pathologies?

One of the special preventive measures is to avoid being exposed to very loud noises. In general, it is enough to lead healthy lifestyle habits, maintain physical and psychological health.

• Excessive consumption of salt, sugar, caffeine and fast food should be reduced.
• Instead we must adopt habits for a good and balanced diet.
• Do not forget to hydrate properly and exercise.

Consequences of prolonged tinnitus or tinnitus

If the diagnosis and treatment are timely, there is a good chance of overcoming the condition without any consequences. On the contrary, inattention to the problem poses great health risks.

A prolonged suffering from tinnitus can degenerate into hearing loss caused by the depletion of hearing cells. However, it can also produce the opposite: hyperacusis, an acquired high sensitivity to auditory stimuli due to auditory overstimulation.

Other collateral damages of tinnitus are the decrease in quality of life and performance at work. Likewise, the patient is exposed to suffer from headache, dizziness, insomnia, depression or anxiety, among many other illnesses.