Let’s set the stage: You’re lying in bed attempting to fall asleep after a long stressful day. You feel yourself beginning to drift off to sleep. Then as you’re lying there in the quiet of the night, you start to notice the sound of ringing in your ears. You’re certain it’s nothing in your room because the TV, radio, and phone have all been turned off. Unfortunately, this noise is in your ears and it won’t go away.
If this situation sounds familiar, then chances are that you’re one of the 50 million people who are afflicted by tinnitus. Buzzing, ringing, and various other sounds will be heard in your ears when you have this problem. The majority of people who have tinnitus consider it a mere inconvenience; they notice it now and again but it doesn’t really affect their day-to-day lives. But this is not the situation with everyone who is suffering from tinnitus. For some, it can cause them to lose sleep, to disengage socially, and to have a hard time working.
What’s The Main Cause of Tinnitus?
Tinnitus remains somewhat of a mystery, but this problem has been narrowed down to a handful of causes. It’s most common in individuals who have damaged hearing, and also people who have heart problems. Restricted blood flow around the ears is generally considered to be the main cause of tinnitus. This causes the heart to work harder to pump blood to where it’s needed. People who have iron-deficiency anemia often suffer from tinnitus symptoms because their blood cells do not carry enough oxygen throughout their body, which, again, makes the heart work extra hard to get oxygen and other nutrients where they need to go.
Tinnitus also happens as a result of other conditions, such as Meniere’s disease, ear infections, and ear canal blockages. All of these ailments impact the hearing and result in scenarios where tinnitus becomes more prevalent. In other cases, there may not be an easily discernible cause of tinnitus, which can make treatment challenging, but not impossible.
Is There Any Treatment For Tinnitus?
There are several treatments out there to help stop the ringing in your ears, all depending on the root cause of your tinnitus. One important thing to note, however, is that there is currently no known cure for tinnitus. In spite of this fact, there’s still a good chance that your tinnitus will improve or even fade away completely due to these treatments.
Studies have shown that hearing aids help cover up tinnitus in individuals who suffer from hearing loss.
If covering up the noise doesn’t help, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to help people deal with the ringing in their ears that doesn’t go away with other treatments. This type of mental health therapy helps patients turn their negative ideas about tinnitus into more positive, practical thoughts that help them function normally on an every day basis.