Ringing Ears?

Tinnitis!

Many people experience an occasional ringing (or roaring, hissing, buzzing, or tinkling) in their ears. The sound usually lasts only a few minutes. Ringing in the ears that does not get better or go away is called tinnitus. You may hear a sound, such as a ringing or roaring, that does not come from your surroundings (nobody else can hear it). The sound may keep time with your heartbeat, it may keep pace with your breathing, it may be constant, or it may come and go. Tinnitus is most common in people older than age 40. Men have problems with tinnitus more often than women.

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Most tinnitus that comes and goes does not require medical treatment. You may need to see your doctor if tinnitus occurs with other symptoms, does not get better or go away, or is in only one ear. There may not be a cure for tinnitus, but your doctor can help you learn how to live with the problem and make sure a more serious problem is not causing your symptoms.

It’s pretty much harmless usually. Just irritating. Get it checked out if you’re worried. :)

Asmonet is right. It’s probably Tinnitis.

At the very least, you should probably go see an ear, nose and throat doctor. Maybe they can do something for you. I actually don’t know much about it.

I suffer from tinnitus. It came on overnight about three years ago and hasn’t stopped since – a constant, high-pitched ring. It’s definitely more noticeable when I’m in a quiet environment.

I went through a series of tests with my GP, then an ENT, then a hearing specialist. Verdict: nerve degradation beyond the eardrum, no cure possible. Their solution: deal with it.

I have it too so I feel for you. Sometimes the ringing changes, but mostly it’s a constant, annoying ring. I find that having music or my sound machine helps when I’m trying to sleep.

I have it too (good thing I’m not a rabbit in real life – it would probably be like church bells!) and it is easier to ignore more often than not, but when it’s noticeable, you focus on it and it seems like it won’t go away. It does.

I was also told that Tylenol exacerbates the problem. So, I try and avoid taking that.

Right now I hear it. It’s quiet in my house and I read this question and “Ring!” there it was.

Mine sounds like I have an oil rig in my ear, pumping blood. It’s amusing. Cause it only happens sometimes. Try focusing on another noise, for a few seconds, it can help you ‘forget’ about it.

Generally, people don’t get too worked up about it. Try sound machines, or soft music, these can help you get used to it when it’s new.

I’m in the same boat with PupnTaco, loser and Autumn. Mine just started one day when I was about 14 for no reason. I saw several doctors who didn’t really tell me much at all. It doesn’t hinder me at all except for the rare occasion where it gets extremely loud for about 5 seconds then dies back down to just a quiet constant ringing.

After several years I only notice it when I think about it or it suddenly gets quiet.

I’ve been told that Ginko Biloba helps sometimes, but it’s not proven. I have ringing also and it can drive me mad! I may give the Ginko a try. It’s weird how it suddenly began and has continued for a year! Getting older sucks!

I didn’t notice this until just the last couple of years (and I am over 50.) It sounds like fizz, like from soda pop. It’s very constant – but I don’t really notice it except when I am in a quiet environment. It is especially annoying when I am trying to sleep. Thanks for your comments. Now I know not to spend money on a doctor. I thought it might be a certain vitamin deficiency, but after reading these comments it sounds like something I will have to live with. I feel better knowing that other people have it, too.

skaggfacemutt, i’ve had tinnitus ever since i can remember, and i’m glad we could make you feel better. :-)

autumn, i think you might be confusing tylenol (acetaminophen) with aspirin, which can cause tinnitus when “taken in uncommonly high doses (12 or more per day)”
-Mayo Clinic

In my experience, tylenol and advil often help my tinnitus, but the underlying condition causing my symptoms including tinnitus is pretty unusual compared to most people’s: age-related hearing loss, exposure to loud noises, etc.

Actually, La_chica_gomela – I have never taken aspirin. What I did have wrong was that it is ibuprofen (Advil) which one should avoid, as it can cause the tinnitus to be worse.

Hi; I am an Audiologist.

Tinnitus is the term used to describe any sound heard within one’s ears or head. As you see from the responses here, there are many different sounds that people can hear. In some cases, tinnitus can be a symptom of more serious conditions, but since you do not complain of vertigo or headaches or hearing loss it sounds like yours is the fairly run-of-the-mill ringing that many people experience. I have had tinnitus my whole life, and it is getting progressively louder as I age.

I have also heard that ginko biloba helps some people… since it is reportedly beneficial in several ways, it couldn’t hurt to try. I have never tried it only because I am so bad at taking supplements on a regular basis, and usually wind up throwing most of them away after the bottle expires.

Exposure to loud sounds is one well-established causes of tinnitus. It doesn’t have to be as loud as a rock concert, either; even regular exposure to sounds that aren’t uncomfortably loud can contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus. Hairdressers, seamstresses, housekeepers, fitness/aerobics instructors and dentists can have noise-induced hearing loss and the tinnitus that is associated with it.

Aspirin is one of the best known ototoxic medications, but other medications could make it worse. In addition, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes are known to contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus. Also consider your family history… do others have tinnitus and/or hearing loss? If so, you may have a genetic predisposition to experience these symptoms. If you have medical insurance, it can’t hurt to have it evaluated just to have a baseline of your hearing sensitivity and to ensure that there really is no reason to be concerned.

Feel free to ask me any additional questions :-)

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@asmonet: Hearing pulsations in your ear is different than what most tinnitus sufferers hear. Have you checked to see if it is actually your pulse that you are hearing? (Measure your pulse on your neck and see if the timing is the same as what you are hearing) If so, you may have some loss of sound conduction through the ear which makes the sounds in your ear/head even more noticeable, since the carotid artery runs so close to the middle ear space. Consider having a comprehensive audiological evaluation to check the status of your middle ear function and hearing sensitivity. If the pulsations you hear are NOT in time with your pulse, see an Ear, Nose and Throat physician… pulsatile tinnitus is sometime a symptom of more serious problems.

hearkat, I’m so glad you finally joined in on this thread! I’m really curious about this advil thing autumn is talking about. I’ve never heard of this before. Why would ibuprofen make other people’s tinnitus worse? (Like I said before it helps mine, but I know most people with tinnitus have a different condition from mine).

Also, about the pulsing tinnitus, I didn’t know that was unusual, I have both! Most of the time I don’t hear anything unusual, but sometimes I hear high-pitched ringing, sometimes it’s like I can feel my heartbeat in my ear.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ringing-buzzing-tinnitus

It talks about how ibuprofen could worsen it. But my ENT told me to avoid it.

Wow, thanks Hearkat! To answer your questions, my father is almost stone deaf, but he worked at a steel mill for 30 years, and also liked listening to loud music. I don’t have any vertigo or headaches, and have not been exposed to loud environments, except about 5 years of discos in the 70’s. I do smoke. I have low blood pressure. My sound does no pulsate, it sounds like a high-pitched buzz or hiss, or fizz. So, are you saying that aspirin can help? If so, I will try it.

very interesting autumn! thanks for the link! i did not know that!

@SkaggFaceMutt: No! Aspirin is toxic to the ears!! Ibuprofen is in the same class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, so I can see that it might have similar side-effects. I’ll have to check out that link when I’m on computer.

Wow, I learn so much here!!!

Oh, I’m glad you told me, Hearkat! I certainy don’t want to make it worse!

@ScaggFaceMutt: I can see how you misinterpreted what I wrote. I apologize for not being more clear.