Why are my ears ringing? What is the cause of that buzzing sound in my ears? My ears won’t stop whooshing – what is wrong with me?
When you have a sound in your ears that you do not know the source of, worries like these can be overwhelming. Even worse, the stress and lack of sleep caused by it can make a simple annoyance a debilitating condition.
You most likely have tinnitus.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is not a disease, but a symptom arising from a range of underlying causes. That buzz or whooshing sound is generated by your nervous system, or by your brain. When you have hearing loss, your brain sometimes overcompensates by creating its own ‘background noise.’ Most people suffering from tinnitus have some form of associated hearing loss with the nerves involved in hearing. Some forms of tinnitus can also be related to muscle movements near the ear, or problems with blood flow in the face or neck. On its own, however, tinnitus is not a sign of a serious medical problem.
What causes tinnitus?
Many things can trigger tinnitus, but it is most often caused by loud noise that damages the delicate cells of the inner ear. Alternately, stress, aging, high blood pressure and even excessive earwax can set off tinnitus. So can excessive amounts of aspirin, NSIDs, antibiotics, alcohol and caffeine.
Is there a cure for tinnitus?
Despite what some manufacturers may claim, there is currently no tinnitus cure. There is, however, many ways to treat tinnitus. One of the most common ways of treating tinnitus is with amplified sound. Sound from hearing aids, music, or pleasant noise generators help minimize the contrast between the buzzing in your head and the environment around you. Woodard Hearing Centers’ customizes a plan to your needs – using a combination of counseling and sound therapy.
Where can I find an amplified sound system to treat tinnitus?
Although there are no drugs or surgical procedures known to be effective against tinnitus, many patients have benefited from specific tinnitus therapies that include sound therapy, counseling and relaxation techniques, all of which are part of Woodard Hearing Centers’ treatment plan. Your Woodard Audiologist combines sound stimulation, counseling, stress reduction and amplification to help dull the annoying hum of tinnitus. It can help you reduce stress, overcome sleep difficulties, and reduce overcompensation by the brain because of hearing deficits.
Schedule an appointment today and experience Woodard’s personal, customized tinnitus treatment.
