You’ve been having a high pitched ringing in your ears on and off for the past few months. You go to an ear specialist to have your ears checked, but tests come back inconclusive. You’re left wondering what’s going on and what you can do to stop the ringing. Although the cause of ringing or other noises in the ear often cannot be determined, there may be something you can do to get rid of the ringing.
What Causes Ringing Ears?
Ringing ears, called tinnitus, sometimes results from an ear disorder, such as impacted earwax or an infection. It can also be a symptom of anemia, cardiovascular disease, or Mèniére’s disease. Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss. The most common form is tonal tinnitus.
What Can You Do to Treat Ringing Ears?
Try eliminating alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and loud noises which have been known to aggravate tinnitus in some people. Treating the underlying disorder may stop the ringing if your doctor can determine what it is. If not, you may want to try out some sound therapies. For instance, you can use real, external noises to counteract your reaction to tinnitus like playing music to drown out the noise. There are also different devices that can help mask noises resulting from tinnitus.
How Do Tinnitus Maskers Work?
Tinnitus maskers, also known as tinnitus noisers, are worn like hearing aids. They work by dampening the noises in your ear using specific noises and tones. The noises, as well as the masking sounds, become background noise. As a result, people with tinnitus can focus and sleep better.
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