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A Fast Look At the Main Causes of Ringing in Ears
Various conditions are associated with tinnitus, and some of them are the most likely causes of ringing in ears that millions of individuals experience. The unwanted sound may only be a symptom and not an infection or disease in itself, but it negatively affects millions of lives. In the United States alone, around 66 million people experience ear ringing in way or another. 12 million people of these people are seriously affected that their normal lives are disrupted.
Around 90% of the cases of tinitus is caused by noise-induced cochlear damage. Exposure of the ears to loud noises, whether sudden or repeated, damages the tiny hairs in the cochlea responsible for the transmission of electrical impulses to the auditory nerve, which is then interpreted by the brain as sound. But, these tiny hairs, when bent or broken, send random electrical impulses. As a result, a sound is interpreted by the brain even though there is no external source. This sound is then perceived as a ringing noise or other similar noises. Furthermore, procedures such as ear wax removals, ear candling, and dental and head surgeries may damage the cochlea.
Stress, which is a part of our everyday lives, may also cause ear ringing. If stress is not properly managed and it accumulates, the body is not able to respond positively. Apparently, this has negative effects such as the failure of the hypothalamus to produce certain chemicals that the body needs to function normally. And, the failure of the production of these essential chemicals cause different unhealthy conditions to arise, one of which is tinnitus. The importance of proper stress management can then not be overemphasized. Take time to relax, or seek help from treatments like counseling, hypnotherapy, and meditation.
Although indirectly, sinusitis and allergies cause ringing in the ears. We say indirectly because it is not these conditions that really bring about the unwanted sound, but the kind of medications that the sufferers of these conditions take: antibiotics and antihistamines. These drugs may cause the mucous in the middle ear to thicken that leads to buildup of pressure. As a result, middle ear infections as well as tinitus take place.
Meniere’s Disease is also one of the main causes of ringing in ears. It is an inner ear disorder that has something to do with the fluctuation of volume of fluid in the inner ear. It is generally marked by vertigo, hearing fluctuation, a sense of fullness in the ears, and tinnitus.
