My Ears Won’t Stop Ringing, What Can I Do?

Published March 13, 2023

While some people experiences that their ear won’t stop ringing, some may hear a different sound inside their heads, such as buzzing, roaring, hissing, or clicking. It is possible for the sounds to be intermittent or continual. The ringing sound could be a small inconvenience or a serious distraction. But, if you are one of the people who keep asking, “why won’t my ears stop ringing?”; there may be something to be done about it.

Why Your Ear Won’t Stop Ringing

Tinnitus is the condition when you hear ringing in your ears. It typically starts in your inner ear. Mostly, the ringing sound is a result of damage to or loss of cochlear sensory hair cells. Tinnitus can manifest in various ways, including ringing sounds.

The sound might be heard softly or loudly in one or both ears. Usually, it is more evident at night when you are not preoccupied or distracted. Moreover, it is frequently accompanied by hearing loss.

Almost everyone has experienced temporary tinnitus following exposure to excessively loud noise. For instance, exposure to noisy environments might trigger temporary tinnitus. In addition, several drugs can cause tinnitus that disappears after the drug is stopped. Chronic tinnitus is defined as tinnitus that lasts for longer than six months.

Hearing loss is linked to this condition, which affects as many as 50-60 million people in the United States. Many people worry that tinnitus is an indication of deafness or another serious medical condition, although this is rarely the case.

Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is usually a symptom of hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is considered to be one of the most common causes of tinnitus. This can be caused by always being exposed to loud sounds or maybe by one serious incident which damages hair cells in the ear. Your tinnitus could also be caused by the following:

• Ear infection
• Sinus infection
• Earwax buildup
• Meniere’s disease
• Head injury

What You Can Do

It is recommended that anyone experiencing tinnitus get medical attention. Your doctor will take a medical history, perform a physical exam, and conduct a series of tests to determine the problem’s cause. The majority of patients who seek medical help learn that no serious medical issue is causing their condition. This information alone is typically enough for some people to adjust to the noises they hear. If your ears won’t stop ringing, do this immediately.

• Biofeedback therapy — this can help reduce tinnitus sounds for many people. Once trained in the technique, you will have the ability to influence the automatic functions of your body.
• Earwax removal — when you remove the ear wax, hearing returns to normal, and any temporary tinnitus disappears. This means that if ear wax is creating any ringing in the ears, then removing the ear wax will return your hearing to normal.
• Hearing aid — a hearing aid will allow you to hear ambient sounds, which can distract you from the ringing.
• Musculoskeletal factors — sometimes, clenching the jaw, grinding the teeth, a previous injury, or muscle strain in the neck can amplify tinnitus. Try tensing muscles or making specific jaw or neck movements to see if you can control the sound.
• Avoid silence — tinnitus can be louder when there is complete silence. Listening to relaxing music or the sounds of nature can help you feel more relaxed.
• General health — the intensity of tinnitus can be affected by your general health. You can also lessen the impact of tinnitus by treating anxiety, depression, pain, and insomnia with psychotherapy or medicine.