Healthy lifestyle habits may prevent or reduce symptoms of tinnitus: Cutting back on or stop drinking alcohol and beverages containing caffeine. Stop smoking and stop using smokeless tobacco products. Nicotine use makes tinnitus worse by reducing blood flow to the structures of the ear. Limiting use of aspirin and products containing aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Exercising regularly because it improves blood flow to the structures of the ear. Avoid loud noises and use protective devices in loud environments. Never put anything such as Q-tips in the ear canal.
Search for:. Select Your Community. The only good news? Noise-induced hearing loss is very preventable and ear ringing is one of the first symptoms of hearing loss. To prevent hearing loss, turn down the volume, wear earplugs, and limit your exposure to loud noise.
You may also experience ear ringing in these conditions:. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Miyamoto RT. Otitis media acute. Merck Manual Professional Version. Updated March National Institute on Aging. Hearing loss: A common problem for older adults.
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Table of Contents View All. Note: This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but to provide representative examples of things that may cause tinnitus. Even though tinnitus is often benign, there are some specific symptoms that should alert people to seek medical evaluation:.
If you experience tinnitus with any of the symptoms above, it is important to discuss them with your doctor or an otolaryngologist, who is a specialist in diagnosing, managing, and treating medical conditions of the head and neck, including the ears. The most important thing you can do about your tinnitus is discuss it with your physician.
Often you will be sent for a hearing test, because most tinnitus is associated with some degree of hearing loss. The hearing test will often provide additional information to the physician about whether further tests are necessary. If it is determined that tinnitus is caused by any of the conditions previously noted, treatment aimed at those conditions may offer relief. If there is hearing loss, hearing aids may help both hearing and tinnitus. Distraction techniques such as a white-noise machine or background noise may also help, particularly during sleep.
One of the challenges in treating non-pulsatile, benign tinnitus is that there are few medications that reliably resolve symptoms.
It is also difficult to find medical therapies for tinnitus, because we are still working to identify a specific location where tinnitus originates. Despite this challenge, there is new research showing effective non-medication approaches to tinnitus, One example of this is neural stimulation techniques , which have shown promise in appropriate patients.
The most effective treatment for non-pulsatile, benign tinnitus is cognitive behavioral therapy. Specific behavioral therapy, called tinnitus retraining therapy, has consistently been shown to reduce tinnitus compared to other treatment modalities. This can also aid in addressing any underlying stress or anxiety about the condition.
Ultimately, tinnitus is a very challenging condition for both patients and physicians. Being informed is important in helping you manage this condition.
If you feel that tinnitus is interfering with your life or causing you significant stress, ask your physician about your options. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Medication use can also cause tinnitus and hearing damage, called ototoxicity, in some people. Drugs that may cause tinnitus include:. Your doctor will examine your ears and conduct a hearing test to diagnose tinnitus.
An audiologist will transmit sounds through a set of headphones to one ear at a time. Your doctor may be able to diagnose the cause of your tinnitus by comparing what you can hear to what people of your age and sex should be able to hear.
Your doctor may also use imaging tests, such as CT or MRI scans, to see if you have deformities or damage to your ears. Your doctor will address any blood vessel abnormalities and remove any excess earwax.
If medications are contributing to your tinnitus, your doctor may switch your prescriptions to restore normal hearing. Drug therapy can also help reduce the sounds you hear in your ears. Tricyclic antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications , including Xanax, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline, can lessen the ear sounds in some cases. However, not everyone responds to drug therapy and the side effects can be bothersome.
Noise-suppression machines can help dull the ringing, buzzing, or roaring by providing relaxing noises to mask your ear sounds. You can also take steps to manage your tinnitus by reducing stress. Engage in a hobby or talk with a trusted friend or family member to reduce stress in your life. You should also avoid exposure to loud noises to lessen the severity of your tinnitus. Hearing aids can be beneficial for some people with tinnitus. Sound amplification can help those who have trouble hearing normal noises due to their tinnitus.
Cochlear implants to restore lost hearing may also be effective. A cochlear implant is a device that allows your brain to bypass the damaged part of your ear to help you hear more effectively. A microphone implanted just above your ear works with an electrode set inserted into your inner ear.
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