Call or Text Us! 541-298-5558
The Dalles, OR

Man holding ear because the constant ringing hurts.

“Why do I hear a ringing noise in my ears?” “Why won’t that noise stop?”

You could be suffering from tinnitus, a common hearing disorder that manifests sounds in your ears that no one else can hear, if you find yourself making these kinds of statements. You’re not alone. Millions of individuals have this disorder.

Ringing, buzzing, pulsing, or whistling are the noises that most people describe.

Ringing in the ears may seem harmless, depending on its severity. But there are absolutely times when you shouldn’t neglect it. Tinnitus symptoms can often be a sign of something more significant happening in your body.

Here are 6 tinnitus symptoms you should take seriously.

1. The Ringing in Your Ears is Affecting The Quality of Your Life

26% of individuals who suffer from tinnitus cope with symptoms continuously, according to some studies.

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and relationship problems are all possible outcomes of this ever present ringing.

It can be a struggle between the tinnitus noise and something as simple as attempting to hear your friend tell you a recipe over the phone. The nonstop ringing has stressed you out to the point where you snap at a family member who simply asks you a question.

Constant ringing can become a vicious cycle. The ringing gets louder as your stress level rises. Loud noise makes you more anxious and so on.

If tinnitus is contributing to these types of life challenges, it’s time to address it. It’s there, and your life is being affected. The noise can be decreased or eliminated with available treatment choices.

2. The Noise in Your Ears Begins After You Switch Medications

Doctors might try several different medications to treat the same condition whether you have chronic pain or cancer. You might ask for a different option if you begin to experience severe side effects. Contact your doctor and learn what the side effects are if you began experiencing tinnitus symptoms after starting a new medication.

Tinnitus might be caused by some common medications. Here are a few examples:

  • Over-the-counter painkillers (Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, and even aspirin) when taken several times a day for an extended period of time.
  • Chemo
  • Loop Diuretics
  • Opioids (Pain Killers)
  • Antibiotics

3. It’s Accompanied by Headache, Blurred Vision, or Seizures

This might be a sign that high blood pressure is causing your tinnitus. The blood circulation in your inner ear is compromised when you suffer from hypertension. Your overall health is also at risk with high blood pressure. As time passes, it could cause or worsen age-related hearing loss.

4. You Always Seem to be Leaving Work, The Gym, or a Concert When You Hear it

If you leave a noisy place such as a factory, bar, concert, or fitness class, and you start to hear tinnitus noises, you were probably exposed to unsafe noise levels and that’s more than likely the cause of these noises. If you ignore this episodic tinnitus and don’t begin to safeguard your ears, it will most likely become permanent over time. And it’s commonly accompanied by hearing loss.

If you love a noisy night out, take precautions like:

  • Wearing earplugs
  • Giving your ears a regular break by going outside or into the restroom, if possible, at least once an hour
  • Standing a little further away from loud speakers

Follow the rules regarding earmuffs and earplugs if you work in a noisy setting. They’re designed to protect you, but they only work if you wear protective gear correctly.

5. You Also Have Facial Paralysis

We hope you wouldn’t ignore facial paralysis irrespective of whether you have ringing in your ears. But when you have paralysis, nausea, headaches, and you also have tinnitus, it’s possible that you may have an acoustic neuroma (a slow growing benign brain tumor).

6. Fluctuating Hearing Loss is Accompanying Tinnitus

Do you experience hearing loss that seems to worsen, then get better, then worse again? Are you sometimes dizzy? If these symptoms are taking place along with tinnitus, you might need to get screened for Menier’s disease. This produces a fluid imbalance in your ears. If left untreated, it often gets worse and might increase your risks of serious falls caused by lack of balance.

Tinnitus is frequently a sign of hearing loss. So you should get your hearing tested if you’re experiencing it. Reach out to us to make an appointment for a hearing test.

Call Today to Set Up an Appointment

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.