Ringing In Ears Symptom – Do I Have Tinnitus?

Tinnitus or ringing in the ears can affect just about anyone, although it is more common in men and more common in those aged over 40. In fact, the term ‘ringing’ is slightly misleading, as tinnitus can also be described as a rushing, roaring or hissing sound. This ringing in ears symptom usually only lasts for a few minutes; if it lasts for longer, it is then technically known as tinnitus.

There is really only one ringing in ears symptom, which is the rushing or ringing noise. A good sign that it is really tinnitus is if no one else can hear what you are hearing. Occasionally, the sound in your ears is accompanied by a dizzy feeling and hearing loss, a condition known as Meniere’s disease, in which the noise can last for as long as several hours.

Ringing In Ears Symptom – Tinnitus

Tinnitus also falls into two basic types. Pulsatile can be caused by sounds that are caused by blood flow problems around the neck or muscle movements somewhere near the ear. Non-pulsatile tinnitus is caused by problems with the nerves that allow us to hear; if you feel as though the sounds are coming from inside your head, it is a sure sign that this is the cause. The latter is the hardest to medically treat.

There are several different things that can cause the rather irritating ringing or rushing sound, although the main cause is simply due to deafness as we age – something we cannot do much about. As we get older, the part of our ear which lets us hear, the cochlea, just does not function as well as it did and it may be that the brain is basically making its own noise in order to compensate.

However, natural aging and deafness are not the only causes. Regular exposure to loud noise can be a major cause; in fact it is estimated that around 30 million of us are subjected to noise on a daily basis that is simply too loud. Too high an intake of certain drugs, such as quinine, aspirin and various antibiotics can cause tinnitus, as well as too much stress, caffeine or alcohol.

If you have ever suffered a blow to the head then you know too well how this can cause the ringing in the ears, although it is usually only temporary. Other medical conditions can be factors as well, including severe weight loss, problems with blood circulation and even toothache or other problems with the mouth. In addition, it pays to clean the ears out – too much earwax can cause tinnitus.

Most of us are going to experience some ringing in the ears at some point and if you do experience ringing in ears symptom, it is not a particularly serious thing. It can be annoying and distressing though and the sad fact is that it often accompanies natural deafness as we get older; in fact, recurring bouts can be seen as a sign that we are beginning to lose our hearing. Unfortunately, there is not really a ringing ear cure, although it is possible to be prescribed such things as a hearing aid that plays ‘white noise’ to block out other sounds, or anti-depressant drugs.

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