Tinnitus Causes & Solutions for Patients in FL & Beyond

When you hear ringing in your ears, and no external sound is present, it’s called tinnitus. At Tri-County Hearing, we understand how frustrating the symptoms of tinnitus can be for patients to deal with day in and day out. The ringing sound people hear is usually caused by damage to the auditory nerve of their inner ear. While many patients describe it as ringing, others say it sounds like the ocean or a buzzing, hissing, or whooshing sound. Tinnitus can affect one or both ears, be constant or occasional, and be soft or loud, depending on the severity of the condition. It’s typically more noticeable at night or in quiet areas.

Below, the hearing experts at Tri-County Hearing explain why some people hear a ringing sound in their ears, how to find relief, and how to prevent hearing loss in the future. Our clinical teams offer comprehensive hearing care services, from tinnitus testing and treatment to custom hearing protection for patients in Florida and the surrounding areas. Contact our hearing care providers today to learn more or schedule an appointment.  

What Causes Ear Ringing?

When a person hears ringing in their ears, it’s almost always a side effect of hearing loss or an early indication of the condition. Your brain works hard to make sense of the world around you by processing various information your ears receive. It helps people focus on the most important external sounds, filter unwanted noise, and distinguish background sounds from what you actually want or need to hear. Tinnitus is an unwanted consequence of your brain processing less sound due to hearing loss.

When the brain’s auditory cortex is bored because there are fewer sounds to process, it gets bored and starts looking for other sounds to interpret. With hearing loss, the input to your brain is changed, so it begins to misinterpret the present sounds.

Why Does Tinnitus Occur?

If you hear ringing in your ears more often than not, you probably know how bothersome and distracting the noise can be. These sounds differ from random phantom sounds you might have heard after standing up too quickly or while dealing with a headache. The typical descriptions of tinnitus include humming, static, buzzing, crickets, or low and high-pitched tones. The ringing comes from the part of your inner ear that looks like a spiral or snail shell (cochlea). Changes in the cochlea’s nerve activity can lead to tinnitus. These changes can be caused by any of the following:

• Exposure to loud sounds
• A head injury or concussion
• Wax build-up in your ears
• Consumption of caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol
• Many medications, including aspirin, ibuprofen, blood pressure medicines, and some antibiotics
• Meniere’s disease (condition of the inner ear)

How Can You Stop the Tinnitus Ringing in Your Ears?

Addressing your hearing loss symptoms with a trained hearing care provider is the first step in finding relief for your tinnitus. A comprehensive hearing exam will determine your type and degree of hearing loss, allowing your hearing care provider to develop an individualized treatment plan for your condition. If you have hearing loss and worsening symptoms, effective tinnitus solutions are available. At Tri-County Hearing, our clinical teams work diligently to meet our patients’ needs.

Treating Symptoms of Tinnitus

When treating tinnitus, the provider aims to activate and condition a patient’s auditory cortex to listen to natural sounds and train it to filter out unwanted noise. The tinnitus isn’t removed, but your brain’s attention to it is mainly eliminated by listening to masking sounds, such as rain, the beach, or a waterfall. These types of sounds keep your brain busy, reducing the likelihood of fixating on the ringing.

In some cases, a patient’s tinnitus continues to progress or worsen, encouraging some hearing care providers to consider medication for the condition. In rare cases, tinnitus can be a side effect of a medical condition other than hearing loss, so it’s essential to address your symptoms as soon as possible.

Can Tinnitus Be Prevented?

Because tinnitus is a symptom of other health conditions, you can’t always prevent it. But you can take steps to protect your hearing, which can help reduce your risk. Hearing protection may be warranted:

• When working in construction or factory settings
• In certain performance arts or music careers
• In some exercise classes (many gyms play loud music for motivation)
• At concerts and movie theatres (noise levels at these types of events can be too loud and may harm your hearing over time)
• When using power tools, mowing the lawn, or utilizing other loud equipment
• With the use of firearms like recreational shooting or hunting
• Any time you’re wearing headphones or earbuds (keep the volume low)

Seeking Professional Help for Your Tinnitus

All symptoms of hearing loss should be addressed with a hearing care provider, whether you schedule a comprehensive exam or one-on-one consultation. Untreated hearing loss is connected to a wide range of health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and social isolation, among others. You should seek immediate medical attention for tinnitus when:

• The ringing in your ears persists for several weeks
• You feel dizzy or have trouble keeping your balance
• The ringing is affecting your daily life
• You experience sudden onset hearing loss
• You hear your heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus)

Let Tri-County Hearing Treat Your Hearing Loss

You don’t have to live with the debilitating symptoms of tinnitus when the hearing care providers at Tri-County Hearing have years of experience and expertise in finding relief for patients in Florida. Our clinical teams proudly offer all the services you need under one roof, from tinnitus testing and treatment to professional hearing aid fittings. We have years of experience serving patients throughout the region. Contact us today to learn more about tinnitus testing and treatment, or schedule an appointment online for a comprehensive hearing evaluation with one of our trusted providers.