Ringing in the ears (medical term - tinnitus) is most often a subjective noise that is heard by a person, but not by others. The reasons for ringing in the ears can be different: both non-threatening and diseases that require serious treatment.
Causes of short-term ringing in the ears
Sometimes noise and ringing in the ears can be observed in an absolutely healthy person:
- The impact of sharp, loud sounds. Such things can be listening to music at a high volume, the noise of construction work, etc. In this case, the hearing aid just does not have time to restructure, which is the reason for the appearance of a non-existent noise that passes after a while. However, frequent exposure to loud sounds can eventually lead to hearing loss.
- Physiological noise. Occurs when staying in complete silence. In this case, a person can hear the sounds of his own organism, such as a heartbeat, and in some cases interprets them as ringing.
These causes of noise and ringing in the ears are harmless and do not require treatment.
In addition, ringing in the ears can be heard with rapid heartbeat, after heavy physical exertion or with the abuse of coffee or nicotine.
Causes and treatment of permanent ringing in the ears
If ringing in the ears is heard constantly or occurs often enough, then in this case it is a symptom of a number of diseases:
- purulent otitis media or inflammatory diseases of the middle ear;
- trauma of the tympanic membrane;
- otosclerosis - a disease in which the pathological growth of the bone in the middle ear occurs, which leads to a significant hearing impairment;
- Meniere's disease - the pathology of the middle ear, in which a large amount of fluid accumulates in its cavity, this disease is accompanied by frequent dizziness, deterioration of hearing on the one hand, and violation of coordination of movements;
- swelling in ARVI;
- age-related changes in the organs of hearing.
It should be noted that if the cause of ringing in the ears is the pathology of the hearing organs, then it is often quite asymmetrical: it is heard only in the right or left ear, which requires treatment.
In addition, the appearance of ringing in the ears can be associated with a number of pathologies of the cardiovascular system:
- Increase in blood pressure. In this case, along with ringing in the ears, there are pains in the head, dark "flies" before the eyes, dizziness and general weakness. Symptoms usually occur when the pressure rises to 140 at 90 and above. Hypertension is one of the most common causes of ringing in the ears and head, which requires immediate elimination of symptoms by taking medications to reduce pressure and further treatment.
- Increased intracranial pressure . In addition to ringing in the ears, it is accompanied by severe headaches, often with nausea and vomiting.
- Atherosclerosis. In this case, deposits and plaques are observed on the walls of the vessels. This disrupts the normal flow of blood, creating turbulent turbulence, which is heard as a ringing in the ears.
- The combination of ringing in the ears with periodic dizziness, tachycardia, lowering of blood pressure, a feeling of coldness in the limbs, fever and meteosensitivity usually indicates
on an attack of vegetovascular dystonia.
In addition to the above reasons, ringing in the ears can cause:
- stress, nervous overload, depression;
- taking certain antibiotics (gentamicin, leucomycin) and aspirin in large quantities;
- brain tumors - in very rare cases.
Accumulation of sulfur in the ear the occurrence of ringing and other noises does not provoke, but can lead to their amplification, because due to hearing loss, such sounds seem louder.